FAMILY IN NEED - PLEASE HELP!!

Our family relocated to the US early January 2024 and (It’s been extremely difficult) We literally sold up all our personal effects in South Africa and relocated based on a job offer that was provided to us in Texas. After various interviews and document processes, we finally got the job offer and got approved for all the relevant work visas (which we had paid for including the entire relocation cost). We both have extensive career backgrounds and have run many businesses in the past. Therefore, coming from a semi-professional background to just about homeless is somewhat sad and demotivating to say the least.

Upon arrival, we got notified that the company was a scam and that all administration fees that we had paid to this company was not legit. This business has been reported to various authorities but the chances of every recovering our funds is null to nothing. Guess we learnt a very hard lesson that potentially would put us on the streets. We are now staying in various motels and hotels around Texas, Spring living on a day to day basis. Unfortunately, our family in South Africa is not fortunate enough to assist us with return airfare to return home. Further; taking into account that we literally up and left everything in South Africa including our business which was generating sufficient income for us to survive on a month to month basis. There is nothing left for us there whatsoever and our safety there has also started to become a concern hence why we did not hesitate to jump to the 1st presented opportunity abroad.

We are living with our 5 children, 2 of which have some medical needs and our baby girl, Myra has down syndrome coupled with many medical issues that we are unable to attend at this moment (please view her GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/16b4abb7). You could just imagine the great difficulty we are facing everyday having to cluster in motel room without any means of any transportation and limited funds to make meals for all 5 children and to support their daily dietary requirements. Notwithstanding the costs of motel rooms stays per night which is extensive and is certainly not helping our situation at all. We have some clients that we are able to service online which generates pennies at this moment as our currency is weak against the dollar. My husband and I have been applying for jobs with very little success at this moment. It’s been extremely difficult to juggle between the children and our small number of clients in South Africa and looking for work here in the US.

Our last $2000 dollars was placed down on a financed vehicle which found online through Facebook. The deal was that we didn’t need any financial documents but merely our passport to get approval. We provided the dealership with all the documents we could and they approved us. We received our finance agreement for the vehicle and we would pay close to $700 per month. We were happy to take up the offer as we anticipate to get on our feet again. 1 week later, the dealership requested that we return the car as ‘’we didn’t get approved’’, now they made us sign a ‘’SPOT AGREEMENT’’ (a big scam in my opinion) which basically in fine print says that should the dealership not receive funding from a lender we would forfeit our down payment and the car to be returned. We didn’t see this fine print – however, after investigation on Facebook we found out that this was a scam and a typical modus operandi to get people’s money in a civil way. That was the last bit of money we had to put towards a vehicle.

Our family is in need of some additional support with cash or food and potentially a new little place we can call ours for at least 6 months plus so that our children can attend school and get an education which they deserve. Our ultimate need is also to enrol our children in school. They have been A Graders for all their schooling careers in South Africa and have now since being in the United States not able attended any educational facility which is a great concern to us. It gives us complete unsettlement as concerned parents.

If you find it in your heart to assist, we would be grateful.