THE GIRL WHO MADE UP HER MIND TO RISE UP

MY definition of “maturity” in the last post was shaped by a movie I just saw recently – HOMELESS TO HARVARD.

You ought to watch that – and get as many young people to see it.

It is inspirational.

LIZ MURRAY

Liz (Elizabeth) Murray grew up in Bronx, NY City, with an older sister and two cocaine-shooting parents, who were addicts.

Photo: Liz Murray, the hero. (Pic from http://cdn.youthkiawaaz.com)

She lived in a messy house and did not know what cleanliness was. She had lice in her hair and was smelly when she went to school.

She never really went to school – she only turned up for the final exam and – tops her school.

When asked by a teacher what she reads, she said she read the encyclopaedia set taken from the backyard garbage place.

“I am lucky that your tests do not test us on anything beginning with letter “s” because the encyclopaedia set I have has no “s” volume,” she told her teacher who was amazed by her scores.

Both her parents also contracted HIV.

She was homeless when her mother passed away.

BREAKING THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS

At her death, Liz realised that she was repeating the same cycle that her mother had lived through when she was of the same age – 15. Her mother was also homeless when she was 15.

So Liz decided she would break the cycle. She went to a “catch-up school” – a school that helped those who could not succeed in the system for all sorts of reasons.

Liz was the top student there and her tutor urged her to apply for Harvard.

A homeless friend of hers also turned up and tried discouraging her to continue education. (Peer pressure kind of thing!!!)

But Liz made up her mind.

She qualified after her exams and was accepted.

Having no money, she was fortunate to have won a New York Times scholarship.

NOW HELPING OTHERS

Liz graduated from Harvard in 2009.

She is now helping other young people who were in the same boat as her to complete their education.

You can watch HOMELESS TO HARVARD on YouTube!