Hi, my name is Dorah Hagaba. I’m a single mother of four brave boys, and we live in Dena, a place we’ve come to call home after fleeing unimaginable hardships in search of safety and a better future. As a refugee claimant, life has never been easy, but I’ve always fought tirelessly to provide for my children. Now, I’m facing the most devastating challenge of my life. A fire has destroyed our home, leaving us with nothing but the clothes on our backs and the weight of despair on our shoulders.

The flames took everything: our beds, our clothes, the little toys my boys cherished, and the few photos we had of the family we left behind. We are now homeless, living day by day, unsure of where we’ll sleep or how we’ll survive. As a mother, it shatters my heart to see my children huddle together, their eyes filled with fear and confusion, asking me when we’ll have a home again. I want to be strong for them, but the truth is, I feel broken.

To make matters worse, my boys are chronically ill, and their health is deteriorating rapidly. Every day is a battle to keep them safe and cared for, but without a stable home or access to proper medical care, I feel like I’m failing them. I’m currently jobless because my entire life revolves around being their caregiver, and the little savings I had were wiped out in the fire. The thought of not being able to provide for them keeps me awake at night, my mind racing with worry and fear.

As a refugee claimant, I feel invisible, like the world has turned its back on us. I have little hope of getting any formal support, and the road ahead feels impossibly steep. But I refuse to give up on my children. They are my reason for breathing, my reason to keep fighting, even when the weight of this world feels too heavy to carry alone.

I’m reaching out to you, my community, because I have nowhere else to turn. I need your help to rebuild our lives, to find shelter, to provide my children with the medical care they desperately need, and to give them a safe place to call home again. Your support could mean the difference between despair and hope, between giving up and finding the strength to keep going.

Please, if you can find it in your heart to help us, know that your kindness will never be forgotten. My boys deserve a chance to heal, to grow, and to dream of a brighter future. Together, we can rise from these ashes and rebuild what was lost.

Thank you for listening to our story.