Melani, 17 years old, CA |

Wish submitted by:

Melani is a remarkable teen who bravely used her own initiative to improve her life circumstances. Born in Iraq, she came to the US when she was 10 years old. The eldest of 4, she was often the recipient of harsh punishment, both verbal and physical. After sneaking out of her house to go to the ER after severe injury at the hands of her father, she was made a dependent of the court. Since being placed with a family from her church, she has reported feeling safe and sleeping much better. Her grades have begun to improve as well.

Melani is happiest when she is writing, creating both fictional stories and nonfiction based on her own life and cultural experiences. She is passionate about environmental responsibility and is specifically requesting a used typewriter to minimize her ecological footprint. After thoroughly researching this particular model, she believes it would be the ideal holiday gift to support her writing career.