Hardships can be painful, but they often have silver linings.
Sohana Sital Chand found this to be true when she struck good fortune despite the struggles she faced.
The 19-year-old is a living testimony that through determination one could turn the challenges of the past into blessings of the future.
Ms Chand said having it hard and coming from a broken family made her end up at Homes of Hope.Yet she never let her upbringing and its adversities stop her from realising her dreams.
The 19-year-old of Nabua has defied all odds by recently graduating with Certificate 3 in Tourism Hospitality from ServicePro International Tourism Hospitality Institute based in Nasinu.
“I believe in the strong roles that a woman plays and this course has allowed me to enhance them,” Ms Chand said.
“It will help me better the skills I use at home, like doing the basic things a woman needs to do but in a more professional way.”
Ms Chand is a former resident at Homes of Hope, a local organisation that provides long term trauma-informed, restorative care and service for young mothers and their children.
Furthermore, the shelter provides pathways women and children could use to escape the poverty cycle by first ensuring that women have food, safe shelter, education and vocational training
It was during her tenture at the home that Ms Chand got a second chance at life. In 2020, she got sponsorship to do the Certificate 3 course in Tourism Hospitality Industry.
“I am one of those who believe in consistently improving my character when I go astray from the path.”
“The opportunity presented itself and I joyfully took it. It was a blessing to me.
Ms Chand said her greatest challenge was balancing house chores together with schoolwork.
“After a long half day of house chores, I was required to give 100 per cent focus and attention during class hours.
“Then after a tough four hours in school, I continued with the roles of a wife, which is cooking and other chores.
“I sometimes had to stay up late just so I can study for my papers or to complete my assignments.”
But with her days of assignments and studies now gone, Ms Chand is ready to take on the future
Her message to those having a hard time is to be happy and not do things to impress others.
“We only live once and the best thing to do is to be happy and not do things to impress others cause you can never make everyone happy.
“Life is vague, don’t over-think. It is best to be you and make some people unhappy then to be someone else and live in misery.
