Enslaved to Entrepreneur

Pensri was 18 years old when Destiny Rescue rescued her from a bar. She had followed her friend who had gone to work, not realising what kind of work she was about to begin. She was abused in horrific ways by especially cruel men. But you wouldn’t know that if you knew her today…

Words by Lauren Schafer

Today I’m sitting in Pensri’s very own hair salon. When she was young, a teacher asked her what she wanted to do in the future. “I want to be a hairdresser,” she responded.

And she has become just that. Her goals and her dreams have been met.

Pensri joined our hairdressing training program six months after coming to Destiny Rescue. She had been working in our jewellery production house, but jumped at the chance to pursue her dream. It wasn’t always easy, however. She was unable to handle the weight of the things that had happened to her and often turned toward anger, arguing with the teacher of the hairdressing program and fighting with the other girls. Eventually her attitude began to change with the love her teacher showed her and the influence God began to have on her life.

Now she says that she is happy about the new life that Destiny Rescue helped her toward and feels very good about where she’s at. She is proud to have gone through the salon program and now be able to be on her own.

She is now 21 years old, has a beautiful, genuine smile, and life that radiates from her. She’s creative and incredibly talented, hardworking and ambitious. She says that she misses working in the Destiny Salon with her friends and teachers, but is happy to own her own salon.

Coming from a life of such horrific proportions is, to most of us, incomprehensible. Opening one’s very own salon at the young age of 21 is incredible. Having hope and joy despite insurmountable odds is a miracle. Combining all three? This is Pensri’s true story, which makes her unbelievably special – an inspiration to many, an overcomer, a role model.

Disclaimer: To ensure the protection and safety of all our survivors, we change certain details of their stories and their name.