Meet Romela. Coming from a family with 9 siblings to having 6 children of her own, Romela has only known life with many mouths to feed. Even though she is one of the youngest in her family, she has always been committed to caring and providing for others. She was thankful to finish high school, but had no opportunity to go to college which led her to work many odd jobs. She moved far away to the city where she thought there would be more options for her to make money. When she found a role as a wig maker, she decided to set down roots. Soon after she left, her mother became sick and Romela rushed home. Romela was heartbroken to not have had more time with her mom, and when she passed away, Romela decided to stay home. Since all of her siblings had moved away, Romela dedicated herself to caring for her dad.
Romela left her life in the city as a wig maker, which meant she needed a new job. She could no longer be so far away from her father, and thankfully found an open position at Dignity. Her husband’s job as a barber was not very consistent, so working at Dignity allowed her family to have stability. She could send her children to school, put food on the table, and give them somewhere to live which was more than she had dreamed. She hopes someday her children will even be able to attend college.
Even more than the financial help, Romela found a community while working at Dignity. She shared, “when I was at Dignity, I felt like I had a second family.” Romela has peace of mind knowing that her supervisors care about her and will be flexible when there are emergencies. She no longer lives in fear, but is confident that with the help of those around her she will be able to face any of her problems. Romela is a rock for her family and continues to stay strong for those around her.
