Hello everyone,

My name is Katrina, and writing this is one of the hardest things I have ever done.

I never imagined I would be asking strangers for help, and I sincerely apologize if this fundraiser is an inconvenience to anyone. The truth is that I have reached a point in my life where I can no longer carry everything on my own.

I grew up in a broken family. My father left when I was young and started a new life abroad. My mother was left to raise my sister and me by herself. She worked hard and did everything she could to give us a chance at a better future.

But my childhood was not easy.

My mother's former partner became a source of pain and trauma that followed me for years. From the time I was around nine years old until I was in college, I constantly heard words that no child should ever hear. I was told I was worthless, that I would never become anyone important, that nobody would ever love me, and that I would never have a good future.

Those words stayed with me.

When I finally reached college, I thought I had escaped. Instead of healing, I tried to bury the pain. I spent years partying, drinking, and pretending I was okay while carrying wounds I never addressed.

Today, I am an adult with a job, but the emotional scars remain. The trauma I experienced has affected many of the decisions I made in life. Some of those decisions led me into serious debt. I take responsibility for my mistakes, and I am not asking anyone to erase them for me. I am simply asking for a chance to rebuild.

For a long time, I have struggled with anxiety, panic attacks, and emotional breakdowns. There are days when I cry before work, during work, and after work. Sometimes it feels like I am carrying the weight of my entire life on my shoulders, and I no longer know how much more I can bear.

I live in the Philippines, where earning a minimum wage often means choosing between basic necessities and getting the professional help you desperately need. Psychological consultations, therapy sessions, and possible medications are expenses I simply cannot afford while trying to survive and pay off debt.

I want to heal.

I want to become the person I never had the chance to be.

I want to wake up without fear, without panic, and without feeling trapped by my past.

Your donation—no matter how small—will help me pay for mental health treatment, reduce my financial burden, and give me a real opportunity to rebuild my life. Every contribution will be used responsibly and will bring me one step closer to stability and recovery.

If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean the world to me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thank you for giving someone who feels lost a reason to keep moving forward.

With gratitude,

Katrina