Malya was raised in a small village. When she was only 12 years old her father offered her as a 4th wife to a village elder. She eventually found the courage to run away with a man who took her to Europe and what she hoped would be a new beginning. However, when they reached there she was forced into prostitution. Malya finally managed to break the cycle of abuse and mistreatment when she escaped to Canada with the help of a local church group.

After arriving in Canada Malya found the Scarborough Women's Centre and signed up for counselling - one of the many services made available to abused and vulnerable women through the centre as a result of funding and donations. Regular sessions with the counsellor helped Malya heal from the trauma, abuse and self-loathing that she had experienced through the years

With ongoing support and encouragement Malya recently obtained her General Education Diploma (GED) and was accepted to college where she hopes to go on to earn a degree.

Rose was married young at 19 and fell pregnant with her first child at only 20 years old. At first her husband seemed concerned about her wellbeing when he wouldn’t “let” her work. She felt cherished and loved when he called her every hour to check in and make sure she was home.

Rose felt “special” at first because of his jealousy and constant attention. That all changed dramatically when he started verbally abusing her and calling her “stupid”. With mounting financial pressure things were tense at home and eventually he walked out, leaving her at home with 4 young children and no way of supporting them on her own with no income or help.

Rose found Scarborough Women's Centre and with guidance and support from the centre's staff and volunteers she was able to successfully access immediate financial supports. With the financial pressure alleviated she was able to take the time she needed to heal from the shock of her situation. Working with the centre she managed to find the resources she needed to secure programs for her kids, and start the slow process of becoming economically and emotionally independent. This is one of the many ways in which the centre supports vulnerable women in their time of need.

With time, support and courage Rose put herself though school while raising her children singlehandedly. After hard work and determination she graduated from Centennial College as a nurse and is enjoying her new life.

Samantha’s found out her husband was having an affair. When she finally worked up the courage to confronted him about it the situation escalated and she eventually had to call the police to protect herself.

When Samantha came to Scarborough Women's Centre she had to work through some complicated feelings and focus on her emotional health which she managed to do with the services and resources on offer.

She has realized the abusive nature of her relationship with her husband and is working to set boundaries with him so that he knows he can't return.

These are just some of the stories about the women who have been directly impacted by the work of the staff and volunteers at Scarborough Women's Centre over the last 35 years. Help us to continue this important and meaningful work.

Women are key in building strong communities and industries and with the resources and services available at the centre they can continue to realize these important roles in our society. Give today to help the centre continue to support women over the next 35 years.