DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVER NEEDS YOUR HELP TO GRADUATE

(My name is Lorna Earnshaw, I live in San Diego, CA and I'm starting this campaign in behalf of my old friend, Lucia, from Brazil).

Erondina Lucia da Luz, 46, (Muslim name: Fatima Alzahra) is a domestic violence surviver who lives in the city of Curitiba in Brazil. Even though she has suffered from extreme violence and sex abuse since she was a small kid, she has never given up and today she needs YOU to make her dreams come true: to graduate as a physiotherapist and to specialize as a Uri Gynecologist in order to treat those women in need who don't have access to this treatment.

"I've been studying for 4 years at theFapar (University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil), which is a private school. In order to graduate and start working I need to turn in my theses and complete an internship. However I got late on my payments and I'm stuck. I make very little money and I'm completely by myself. I need your help". Brazilian government doesn't provide any support or loans for students.

"I lost my mom to stomach cancer when I was 6 years old. I was sexually abused by my cousin at 5. Then I had to live with my father (who was very violent) and his former lover. My father used to beat me up and once he even put a gun in my mouth when I was very little. I had a sister and an older brother. My sister committed suicide in front of me by taking poison after a violent episode with my father. When I was 8 years, my father was murdered by his girlfriend and then I was by myself. I was sent to live at a foster home, where, again, I suffered all types of abuse (including, again, sexual abuse). I started to do manual labor at 10 years old, waking up at 4 am to go work in the fields of soy and cotton.

"At 16 in moved to the city and started getting jobs to survive. In 1997, I got married with a man that seemed to be honest. Again, I became a victim of domestic violence. He became violent towards me and I even lost a child when I was 8 weeks pregnant after a car accident caused during an argument with him while driving. I tried to leave him, but he wouldn't accept it. During one of his attacks, he caused fractures in 3 parts of my facial bones. Finally, with the help of lawyers, I was able to divorce him in 2007.

After all this trauma, I've struggled consistently with depression. However, I've always kept on going, looking forward for a better future.

I became an auxiliary nurse, working in hospitals and surviving by receiving very small wages, which are very common in Brazil. I currently make around U$430/month and that's why I need to have 2 jobs, hardly ever having time or the opportunity to sleep.

I started to study Natural Medicine for a year, but the school went to bankruptcy during the Brazilian economic crisis. After these events I had another very deep depression crisis.

However, in 2014 I decided to dream again and this time I was determined to make whatever it takes to make it come true! I started studying Physiotherapy. In order to pay the tuition I got two jobs and tried to get any other additional gigs to make ends meet. A relative lent me a place to live and I was also working cleaning houses and painting drawings that I sold online.

However, because of the economic crisis in Brazil, my salary is not enough for me to cover my expenses and tuition, and I got late with my University payments. I made an arrangement with the school to make installment payments for the due balance but I haven't been able to fulfill it, even though I'm saving every penny, even avoiding taking the bus to same money.

I've completed 8 semesters of the Physiotherapy course. I ONLY NEED TO TURN IN MY THESES AND TO COMPLETE MY INTERNSHIP IN ORDER TO GRADUATE. However, I'm owing tuition and I need YOUR help to make this dream come true. I need to pay the due tuition so that the school allows me to resume my studies and to graduate. While I'm earning only U$350/month at my job as an auxiliary nurse and taking extra shifts at night, it's very hard for me to gather the required amount.

I don't have any credit, relatives or help from the government. Literally, I'm by myself. Living with my cat and my dog, who are my family and my support.

I am grateful to God (Allah) for my health and for this opportunity, and I know that my dreams will come true this time. I want to treat women from all over the world and I want to become recognized from my work all around the world".

PLEASE HELP ERONDINA! SHE HAS NEVER BEEN SUPPORTED BY ANYBODY IN HER WHOLE LIFE, HOWEVER SHE HAS NEVER GIVEN UP AND SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD PERSON, DEDICATED TO TAKE CARE OF SICK PEOPLE AND PROVIDING LOVE TO EVERY PET SHE HAS EVERY ENCOUNTERED".

Anything helps!

Thank you very much.