“My name is Jasmine, and I was in the care system for nine years.”

Cleaning gives Jasmine a sense of satisfaction, peace, and calm. “When I was a child, I was made to clean a lot,” she says. “Whereas now I do it because I want to – and it’s my choice.” What once symbolised control has become a ritual of self-care and grounding.

Jasmine was born and raised in Malaysia. For her first eight years, she lived with her grandparents and other family members. “Even though I felt lots by my grandparents, there was no stability,” she recalls. When she was brought to London, she thought she was simply going on a long holiday. “I remember feeling excited — that’s what I see when I look back at pictures from that time. There was no anxiousness behind it. I just thought I was going on a long holiday, not thinking of leaving my grandparents or if I was ever coming back.”

That all changed when she entered the care system. “I believe the moment I realised I wasn’t going back was when I officially went into care — especially when I was separated from my auntie and uncle.”

Facing Challenges, Finding Strength

Jasmine spent around three years with her first foster family. What began as a hopeful placement soon turned difficult. “It felt longer because of how quickly the relationship went downhill,” she says. Eventually, Jasmine decided to run away.

“That was the moment I truly felt on my own,” she remembers. “Even though I had friends who noticed I was suffering in silence, it still felt like I had to survive by myself.” Through the quiet support of those friends, Jasmine found the courage to leave a harmful situation and start again.

She often reflects on trauma and healing with striking honesty. “If trauma could be seen as a stain on the surface, you could clean it away — but sadly life isn’t that simple. Trauma can’t be resolved that easily. Sometimes it remains. I don’t want it to hold me back.”

Moving Forward with Drive Forward

When Jasmine connected with Drive Forward Foundation, she found a community that understood her experiences and helped her look ahead with confidence.

“Drive Forward helped me see that my past doesn’t define me. They supported me to build structure, focus on my goals, and believe that I could create the future I want.”

With mentoring, employability support, and a safe space to grow, Jasmine began to see her resilience as a strength — not a burden.

“I feel that I’m finally at a stage in life where I’ve accepted my past. It’ll never be something I forget, but I can use it to better myself. I feel positive about my future.”

Jasmine’s story is one of quiet transformation — from surviving to thriving, from cleaning as control to cleaning as peace.

At Drive Forward Foundation, we’re proud to have been part of her journey — helping her turn resilience into empowerment and create a future built on her own terms.