At just 21 years old, Rawiya has experienced an unimaginable amount of hardship. But with this hardship also came hope, which has led her to the beautiful life she lives today.
Rawiya was an unaccompanied minor, or a foreign-born youth who is in the U.S. without a legal guardian. Unaccompanied minors leave their home countries to seek a better life, free of war, violence, and religious and political persecution.
A Young Girl Determined to Save Her Sister
Rawiya was born in 2003 in Somalia. Tragically, her father was killed in 2013 while her mother was away working in Saudi Arabia. She was just 10 years old at the time, terrified and unsure how to protect herself and her younger sister.
In a display of intense bravery, Rawiya took her sister and ran away to find safety. With the help of her mother's friend, they fled to Egypt in 2014. While in Egypt, she and her sister applied for a refugee visa at the United Nations office in Cairo.
In 2017, Rawiya and her sister were approved for the visa and entry into the U.S. Although Rawiya felt relieved, she was afraid of the unknowns and what life would be like in America.
A Loving Foster Home Provides Safety and Support
When they arrived in the U.S., Rawiya and her sister were placed in Catholic Charities' Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program. The URM program licenses and trains foster homes to care for refugee minors. It also helps with legal aid, healthcare, counseling and case management as these youth adjust to a new country and learn the skills they need for independence.
Rawiya and her sister were well taken care of at their new foster home. They were able to enroll in school, access healthcare and more. Although Rawiya was scared at first, this fear began to dissipate once she realized she had a chance at a happy and stable life.
A Family Reunited
With everything falling into place, she was able to resume contact with her mother, who was now living in Egypt. Her mother then applied for a refugee visa.
In 2023, Rawiya's mother was able to join her and her sister in the U.S. After years of being apart, they shared a joyful and heartfelt reunion. Now that the family was whole again, their progress toward building a better life only quickened.
A Bright Future Lies Ahead
Today, Rawiya, her mother and her sister live in a new apartment. Rawiya is studying Biological Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU). She hopes to become a pharmacist, a dentist or an MRI tech once she graduates. She is currently gaining valuable experience as a tech assistant for a pharmacy.
Rawiya's mother and sister are thriving as well. Her mother has found work, and her sister is working hard to complete high school.
“Without the URM program, we would never have succeeded. I would like to thank everyone for helping us to reach this level of success and happiness,” says Rawiya.
