From Dropout to Dream: Maria’s Story
In 2018, Maria’s future looked bleak. With her mother gone and her father disabled and unable to work, there was simply no money for school fees. At an age when education should have been her foundation, Maria was forced to walk away from the classroom — not by choice, but by circumstance.
That’s where FAET stepped in.
With financial support to cover her fees and pastoral care to rebuild her confidence, Maria returned to school. She re-engaged with her studies, found her footing again, and didn’t stop there. She completed her education, attended FAET workshops, and threw herself into an intensive mentorship programme — all building toward a future she could be proud of.
Then came six months of Culinary Arts training.
Today, Maria stands ready to enter the workforce — skilled, qualified, and full of possibility. What was once an uncertain story of hardship has become a testament to what consistent, compassionate support can achieve.
Pictured: Maria at ESK Quaker School with her end-of-term report, and alongside Joyce, FAET’s Quaker student facilitator