Celebrating Mothers: Sorany's Story

In honor of Mothers Day on May 13, we are celebrating some of the amazing women we know around the world who are working tirelessly to support their families and create bright futures for their children. Honor the mothers in your life at opportunity.org/mothersday. 

Like many girls in her neighborhood in southern Bogotá, Colombia, Sorany found herself pregnant at age 16 and dropped out of school. Her family made her move out of their home, and she was left without a plan and without options.

As a brand new young mom, Sorany and her boyfriend Andres wanted to build the future they had dreamed about, even if their life wasn’t going fully according to plan. Their daughter, Helen Sofia, was born and they received a small wooden home from a national relief organization where they began to raise their baby. But before long, they realized that the home wasn’t healthy for Helen; it was drafty and cold, and Helen was constantly sick. In order to build a better home for their daughter, Sorany and Andres had to get to work. 

Sorany began traveling door to door styling her neighbors’ hair. Over time, she became a talented stylist and getting hired to do hair for special occasions.

A year ago, a friend told her about Opportunity International and she joined her local Trust Group. She received a loan to purchase a flat iron, which allowed her to provide additional services to her clients. She also received training and a valuable community of friends. Through it all, she and Andres fought for their relationship and got married, supporting their daughter together.

Now, the family lives in a new, warm home. They are building their future and creating as many opportunities for their daughter as they can.