By Jasminee Sahoye

A young woman of Trinidad origin who spent close to 13 years in the care of the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) is showing that through perseverance and great adversity, she is on the verge of completing her undergraduate studies and looking toward a pursing a Masters.

A report released earlier this year by the Laidlaw Foundation entitled Not So Easy to Navigate, found that youth in care are less likely to pursue post-secondary education as a result of financial pressures. Through scholarships after leaving the care which provided enormous financial relief, Aisha Aberdeen is creating quite a buzz at the CCAS as someone who is striving for higher education.

“Knowing that I can depend on the Hope for Children Foundation for financial assistance empowers me to pursue post-graduate studies, and for that I am very grateful,” she says.

Aisha is completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Forestry and Caribbean Studies from the University of Toronto later this year. She will be pursuing a Masters in Forestry from the University of Toronto, and hopes to complete a one-year placement in Kenya studying the rainforests.

After graduation, Aisha hopes to share her knowledge of forestry and agriculture with children through an educational program in the public school system.

Aisha told The Camera that the system is not geared for us who come out of foster care because there is no network nor facilities to help those who need further assistance....

“There is a lot of frustration and stereotype when you live in foster care. All the friends you had are lost."

She is grateful for the support she has had from Mary Bowyer from Hope for Children Foundation and Myron Klymko from (CCAS). "Had it not been for these two and a few others, I would not have been able to make it. I am blessed to have had a good foster mother."

Her words of advice to those may end up in foster care are to "trust in yourself and take advantage of all the avenues that are available to you...."

On Wednesday, more than 100 youth in care and alumni youth from the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) received scholarships valued at more $200,000 from the Hope for Children Foundation.

“These scholarships provide critical financial support to youth in care and alumni youth who are faced with financial pressures when they leave care at 18,” says Mary Bowyer, Executive Director for the Hope for Children Foundation.

Under provincial legislation, youth must leave their foster or group home at the age of 18, and are forced to deal with the financial burden of independent living such as rent, utility costs, laundry, and groceries, in addition to tuition and books. Children’s Aid Societies are advocating for the province to allow youth to stay in care until the age of 21 to ease the transition for youth.

“Our youth have to deal with financial challenges that their classmates do not. These combined pressures of independent living and post-secondary studies make it difficult for youth to concentrate on studies, and succeed in pursuing a post-secondary degree or diploma,” says Ms. Bowyer.

Since 1986, the Hope for Children Foundation has awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships and special achievement grants supporting more than 250 students in their educational pursuits.

The Hope for Children Foundation supports independent living and youth mentoring programs for adolescents, post-secondary scholarships, emergency grants to assist during times of financial crisis, and enhancement grants to nurture development opportunities.