When you meet Ana, what strikes you first is her unwavering determination, her steady gaze, and the quiet strength in her voice. Her poise belies the gravity of the hardships she’s endured—and the extraordinary resilience it took to rise above them.
Born in Guatemala, Ana’s early life was shaped by abandonment and separation.
At five, she arrived in Canada to live with her father, was adopted by her stepmother, and became a Canadian citizen. Yet despite this new beginning, she suffered abuse until she was removed from the family home at age 11. By 18, alone and vulnerable, Ana was in the grip of addiction. A few years later, she gave birth to two children, becoming a dedicated and attentive mother.
However, their father’s problems led to a painful separation, triggering a relapse. Within a few years, she had lost her home, her job, custody of her children—and found herself living a life she had never imagined, relying on shelters, where she discovered others, primarily women and elders, in distress—a devastating decline in her situation.
One day, a kind person reached out and helped him enter a detox program. This gesture marked the beginning of his recovery.
The road to sobriety is long. After several attempts to get back on her feet, Ana finally found a safe space at Li-BER-T house, where she could work on herself and begin to imagine a future. Thanks to the Sinclair program, Ana was able to pursue a long-held dream: finishing high school. Chez Doris provided not only the essentials—school supplies, a computer, transportation, and food vouchers—but also something deeper: a steady, reassuring presence.
That’s when Chez Doris entered her life. This support gave Ana the stability she needed to focus on her studies and succeed where she had once stumbled. Buoyed by her academic success, Ana enrolled in a job readiness program at MIRE – Movement for Integration and Job Retention. Her performance stood out—so much that she was offered a position as a receptionist. Finally, she belonged—surrounded by others who shared her values and her desire to help others. Today, Ana plans to study psychosocial intervention, with the goal of helping other women in need. She is in regular contact with her children and is actively working toward shared custody. With continued support from Chez Doris, Ana is preparing to move into subsidized housing and to build a more stable life.
Ana’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. Her determination to keep moving forward is palpable.
She is living proof that with resilience—and the right support—a life can be transformed.
Chez Doris didn’t just help Ana rebuild; it empowered her to dream again
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*Cover photo: Ana