Originally from Eritrea (located in East Africa), Tiblets arrived at Catholic Charities Dallas' Children's Services five years ago as an Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) at the age of 14.
As part of the International Foster Care program, she has lived with foster parents who not only provided her with basic necessities but also many opportunities to take part in new life skills such as cultural activities, support for social integration, and educational training.
In 2020, Tiblets took the next steps in her journey and began applying for college. As of recent, she has been accepted at Texas Woman’s University and the University of Dallas. While this alone is an absolute success, UD also awarded her the Provost's Scholarship. Additionally, Tiblets hopes to run cross country if she chooses to attend the university. She is currently awaiting responses from University of Texas at Arlington and University of North Texas.
Reflecting on her journey up to now, Tiblets said, "I am grateful to have Catholic Charities by my side. They were there in my great struggle and great times. Without their help I would not be who I am today. They encouraged, motivated, and helped me. They raised me up from the bottom to the top, because they didn't give up on me."
One of the many goals of the International Foster Care Program with Children's Services is to help transition youth from foster homes to independent living settings when they are anywhere between the ages of 18-20. After receiving support for housing, food, and clothing, English language training, and much more, these young adults become self-sufficient, like Tiblets.
If interested in directly supporting children like Tiblets, consider becoming a foster parent. For more information, email ifc@ccdallas.org.