Yorduin Morillo, a 24-year-old from Venezuela, has found in the H4Y FUTURO program an opportunity to transform his life. Prior to his participation in this project, Yorduin and his partner spent four months living in a shelter with 160 other people. There, they shared a room with more than 20 other people and had to spend the whole day on the street, only being able to access the shelter for a few hours a day.
"The shelter was just for sleeping. You had to be outside all day," Yorduin recounted. This situation led him to spend long hours on the street with his partner, trying to cope with the precariousness of his situation. The difficult living conditions in this center contrast drastically with what she would later find in the H4Y FUTURE program.
The drive: comprehensive support and training
Yorduin's entry into H4Y FUTURO marked the beginning of a radical change. "The program exceeded all my expectations. On the first day, my accompaniment technician asked me how I would feel most comfortable: whether it would be just me, with my partner or sharing an apartment with another person in the program. I told her that I would prefer to live with my partner. I never thought they would get an apartment just for us," he said, surprised by the speed and efficiency with which he was offered a home. This residential stability was a first step in leaving uncertainty behind and starting to rebuild his life. "What I liked the most was when they asked me how I would feel most comfortable," he expressed with joy.
In addition to providing her with housing, the program offered her access to legal services and job search support. Yorduin learned how to write a resume and use job portals, essential tools for her job integration. "I had access to lawyers, job counseling and financial support for food," she detailed.
The road to autonomy
The program's philosophy, centered on the autonomy of its participants, resonated deeply with Yorduin. "I always tried to do things by myself and not depend all the time on the organization. If there was something I couldn't do, I consulted with my technicians and they helped me. I took advantage of everything they gave me so that when I left the program it didn't take so much out of me all at once," she explained. This autonomy allowed her to handle her own paperwork and find a job that made it easier for her to transition to an autonomous life outside the program and find a new home. "It was very difficult to find housing, some friends helped us with the paperwork and we got it."
During his year at H4Y FUTURO, Yorduin took full advantage of the resources available to him. HOGAR SÍ and Provivienda provided him with a basic barbering course, which he successfully completed. Motivated by this initial training, once he left the project he decided to continue his education independently, paying for a professional barbering course himself.
Now, with his professional training underway and a stability that seemed unattainable only a year ago, Yorduin and his partner are clear about their next goal: "Beyond continuing my training and working as a barber, our plan is to return to Venezuela. We came here so we can invest there and go back". Yorduin's story is not only a testament to his resilience and determination, but also a reflection of the positive impact that programs like H4Y FUTURO can have on the lives of homeless youth.
Yorduin Morillo is an inspiring example of how, with the right support, it is possible to overcome adversity and build a better future. His story highlights the importance of comprehensive programs that not only provide housing, but also the tools necessary to achieve true autonomy and a full life in community. "I feel happy with how I am now," Yorduin concluded with a smile that reflected the long road from shelter to stability and hope.
