OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — A protege is defined as "a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person," and that is exactly what the founder and counselors at the Protege House in Omaha are doing.
The Protege House is a dream come true for its founder.
"Some of them have been hurt for various reasons. They are coming out of foster care, they have been lied to, they are sometimes coming out of sex trafficking and sometimes from homes where it has been not that great," said C.T., founder of the Protege House.
When girls age out of foster care, they are not always ready to live on their own.
"She has given us a place but also a voice. She is connecting the community, especially the homeless, adopted kids, foster kids. I didn't know there were so many with stories similar to me," said Nya Yiech, a Protege resident.
The girls pay a reduced monthly program fee, similar to rent where they have to balance a budget and help run a household. The girls that come to the Protege House are usually referred by other agencies. They just have to have the right attitude and be between the ages of 19 and 24.
The house is an old convent and all around you can find inspiration. They kept old photos of the great female leaders who visited back then like Mother Teresa, to more recent ones like this quote from a letter Michelle Obama wrote to them.
They have a lot of goals for these young women but just one mission.
"If a girl comes here at 19 and leaves when she is 24, she's got it and I know she's got it because we are going to give it to her all along the way," adds C.T.
Thanks to donors, they can give these girls a bed and a path to success.
The Protege House can house 15 young women. They currently have space for six more.
