Despite their past difficulties, and the obstacles still facing them, the girls at the Omid-e-Mehr center have dreams. They yearn to participate in life, and to make meaningful contributions to the world around them.

At the Omid-e-Mehr center, we use a holistic approach to provide the young women with the opportunities to realize such dreams. We offer them the tools, structure and support to help them succeed and, above all, we offer them the chance to be heard.

We help girls whom have endured terrible childhoods. One girl, who we can't name, tells us her story in her own words:

"When I was just a young child I was taught how to make drugs. I had no choice. I either had to kill myself or run away.

I chose the latter but got arrested and was put in jail for three years. This was in addition to 400 whiplashes. I had to do all sort of things just to survive in jail. Things like pushing drugs, sex and many other things.

I was raped by people I should have been able to trust. My life was getting dirtier and I was going lower and lower until I came to the Omid-e-Mehr center.

They did a lot of work to sort me out. I mean a lot of work. You learn many things here including English language, secretarial skills, IT, etc. I now have a full-time job.

I cannot even begin to describe what the Omid Foundations have done for me. Had I not found them, I am sure I would have ended up as a junkie sleeping rough, or a prostitute.

You cannot travel this path alone. You need help. You must have help, and I am sure that the Omid Foundations will support me in my future path as it has done in the past."

In order to address the needs of the young women and to build their confidence and social skills, we offer:

• A welcoming and containing social environment
• Psychological and personal development through therapeutic interventions and workshops
• Social and recreational activities to facilitate social integration and readjustment
• Structured educational and vocational training

Omid's three keystones are self-empowerment, education and training. These are supplemented by effective work placement counselling and assistance.

We use the best teachers and therapists Tehran has to offer to work with the girls at the center to give them the best start in life possible. We are incredibly proud of all the graduates of the Omid-e-Mehr center who have all worked hard to overcome their past and to become valued employees and members of society.