Hello, I’m Jen.

I work with an incredible young lady, Mary, who I desperately want to help raise money for so that she can fly to ****** to see her mother and brother. Whom she hasn’t seen in three years! And if she doesn’t raise the money to go visit them she may not get to see them for another five years!

Mary is from a country that I cannot name for her safety, and I have had to keep her identity private for safety reasons, her real name is not Mary.

Her country has been overthrown by the military and she had to flee 4 years ago, coming to England to work & study.

She is 22 years old, and is here in England by herself. All her family are still back in her country.

I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have to leave your country at such a young age coming to another country by yourself, with no family and haven’t seen them in years.

At the age of 16 Mary would protest with her friends to try and make an impact for the world to take notice, to help her country. No one came. No one helped. The military got worse with their strict rules. Even killing people who would protest against them.

At 16 years of age Mary witnessed her friends being shot at protests and had to drag their lifeless bodies away quickly so that the military didn’t take them.

If the military take them the families would never get the body back.

As Mary has been telling me her stories I am absolutely horrified, heartbroken for her. Witnessing your friends being killed, having to take their bodies away quickly… the military now have her photo knowing that she has protested against them. She can never return to her country as the moment she lands she would be arrested and most likely shot.

The strict rules people have to face living there is unimaginable. But luckily people who live there are allowed to visit neighbouring countries.

Please help me raise money to cover the plane ticket for Mary, her mother and brother to go to one of these neighbouring countries so that they can be reunited again.

It breaks my heart anyone so early in life should have to ever face leaving their country to know they can never return. How alone she must feel without her family.

I am proud of Mary, she is a strong, remarkable young lady who has fought hard to be here. To learn of her story has been very awakening for me.

I would love to give her this trip to keep her going, to help bring some of her spark back and show her good things do happen to good people. Miracles can come from the strangest of places.

Marys brother was 5years old when she last saw him, today he is 9 years old.. all those years she has missed out on watching him grow. Forming a closer bond with him. I’m heartbroken for her.

Mary kindly gave me permission to show this picture of her with her brother, which was the very last picture they ever had together.

I also am showing a picture of me with Mary at work. Again for her safety I cannot show her face. Even the military run the embassy they have in this country!!

Please help reunite her with her family.

Anything you can give, however much will help. We only have until the end of August to raise this money as plane tickets go up in cost so much.

Thank you for listening to Mary’s story.