Every day at our World Relief office, we are inspired by women who have crossed borders, endured hardship, rebuilt careers, raised families, and continue moving forward with faith and determination.
Today, we celebrate a few of their stories. *Some names and details are changed for privacy.
Lilly — Entrepreneur, Mother, Lifelong Learner
Lilly’s story reflects resilience and determination.
She is from a beautiful mountain city in Ecuador known for its rich history. Remembering home, she speaks of mountains, hardworking people, and a community shaped by kindness and faith.
As a young mother, she worked full-time during the day and studied business administration at night — often until midnight — for five years. After earning her degree, she opened and managed a small construction supply store, overseeing accounting, payroll, and operations. It was, as she describes with a smile, “like a small Home Depot.” She successfully ran the business for three years while raising her son.
After immigrating to the United States in 2005, Lilly built a 20-year career in financial services and later became a U.S. citizen — one of her proudest achievements. She also celebrates her son’s accomplishment of earning his accounting degree.
Now retired, Lilly continues to push herself. She is studying English with World Relief so she can navigate daily life with more confidence and communicate more deeply with her future daughter-in-law.
*Pictured below: Lilly looks out the window of her English Language classroom at World Relief Chicagoland.
Kateryna— A Mother Carrying Hope
When war broke out in Ukraine in 2022, Kateryna’s life changed overnight. Once, she had a stable home, a garden, meaningful work as an accountant, and children thriving in school surrounded by friends and teachers who spoke their native language. “Life was wonderful,” she remembers.
Then came the darkness. For one month, her family sat without electricity as explosions shook their home. Glass shattered. Her daughter cried in fear, begging for the violence to stop. Eventually, Kateryna fled with her two teenagers to safety within Ukraine before securing sponsorship through the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program to come to the United States.
Arrival brought relief, but also new challenges. Their initial support was limited. Kateryna faced trauma, loneliness, health problems, and the weight of leading her family alone.
Through it all, Kateryna remained steady. She navigated daily life in a new language and held her children close. Within a year, both were fluent in English, thriving in school, and helping her navigate hospital visits and shopping.
At World Relief, staff and volunteers walked alongside her — delivering food and other basic supplies at critical moments, taking her kids to a summer program where they could have fun and just be kids. One volunteer at a local church even made a sunflower quilt designed with Ukrainian motifs. Bright with her nation’s symbols, the quilt brought Kateryna to tears.
Today, Kateryna’s hope is simple and unwavering: peace, and reunion with her family. Her strength as a mother continues to carry her family forward.
*Pictured below: Kateryna signs paperwork during a visit to our office.
Noor — Just Getting Started
When a middle schooler named Noor arrived in the U.S. about a year and a half ago as a refugee with her family, everything felt new — the language, the school system, the expectations. It was the final, permanent stop on their long journey of displacement from Syria.
Today, Noor speaks with confidence about her future.
Earlier this school year, she was awarded a prestigious scholarship. With the steady encouragement of her parents, support from her counselor, and recommendation letters from teachers who believed in her potential, she completed a competitive application process and was selected as one of the top students in the state. They even featured her on the school and local news.
“After that, when I walked into school, people would say, ‘Is that the girl who was on TV?’” she says, beaming with pride. “It felt so crazy.”
Now she meets regularly with an educational advisor who helps her explore high schools, career possibilities, and even aviation lessons — inspired by her dream of becoming a pilot.
As a community of staff, volunteers, and neighbors, we’ve had the opportunity to walk with Noor and her family as they build not only a foundation, but a long future in the U.S.
*Noor is pictured in the top image of this blog, standing outside during a World Relief after-school program hosted by a church partner. Photo Credit: Maddie Runcie
In honor of International Women’s Day, we celebrate women like Lilly, Kateryna, and Noor — women who rebuild, who persevere, who lead their families through uncertainty, and who dare to dream.
Their stories are still being written. Join us in welcoming and walking alongside refugee and immigrant women as they rebuild their lives—through your financial support, dedicated volunteering and bold advocacy, you can help create opportunities for families to thrive.