Earlier this month, we shared the story of Carlos. Carlos was promised a wonderful job, a fresh start, and safety here in the United States. What he received when he arrived was the exact opposite. Sadly, Carlos' experience is far from rare.

Today, we're sharing the story of Fainess Lipena. Similar to Carlos, she grew up in poverty and experience abuse her entire life. When she offered a job in the United States household of a diplomat from her home country, Malawi, she jumped the chance to change her life. When she arrived, her passport was taken and she was locked in the house. When her employers left, they even disconnected the phone so that she wasn't able to call for help. Fainess slept in the basement, was forced to clean long hours, care for their children, and even made to work in the cleaning company owned by the husband of the hoe. After hearing her employer bragging to friends about how she was exploiting Fainess, she knew she had to leave. From her room in the basement, she listened for the garage door to know that she was alone and escaped. After leaving, she was actually hospitalized! She was sick from being run ragged. Escaping was only the first step in her journey to healing, but it was an important first step.

Click here to read her full story.