The following is Xiao Li's story...

Xiao Li was raised in an impoverished family. With only enough money to educate one child, her brother was chosen to attend school. As a young girl, Xiao Li was forced to work. When she was only seventeen, her parents sent her out into a life on the streets. She was desperate and without hope until she was rescued by volunteers from the Starfish Project.

Today Xiao Li is starting over in our shelter. Through our sponsorship program she is attending vocational school and learning computer skills.
She is very excited to finally be educated and have the opportunity to begin a new life.


A day in the life

A typical day for one of the women in our shelter would include:

8:00am: Prepare and eat breakfast together

9:00-10:00am: Personal reflection and study

10-3:30pm: Work in various aspects of the jewelry business including, design, production, and distribution of jewelry. (includes a lunch break)

3:30-5:00pm: English class provided by inhouse teachers


Evening: vocational training at a school in the city. The women opt for training in areas such as accounting, graphic design, tourism, and business marketing.

In addition to this daily routine, we also provide weekly group and individual counseling to assist the women in their transition towards a healthy and productive life.