Two Futures Changed: Nancy & Esther Jana's Story

Nancy was only a young teenager when she faced circumstances that would overwhelm most adults.

Her mother was in prison, and the grandparents who had cared for her had died. Without the family support a young girl desperately needs, Nancy came into the care of Building Families For Tomorrow.

Then Nancy learned she was pregnant.

BFFT became the support system she no longer had. While preparing to become a mother, Nancy was also continuing her own education, working toward completing eighth grade and trying to imagine a future for herself and her unborn child.

More than two months before her baby was due, Nancy went into premature labor. Serious complications required an emergency cesarean section, and her tiny baby girl was placed in an incubator.

At just fifteen, Nancy found herself recovering from major surgery while wondering whether her premature daughter would survive.

She named her Esther Jana.

With medical care and the support of BFFT, both mother and baby grew stronger. And Nancy did something equally remarkable: she returned to school.

Rather than allowing motherhood and the circumstances surrounding her mother's incarceration to end her education, Nancy continued working toward a different future for herself and her daughter.

Nancy and Esther Jana's story illustrates why Building Families For Tomorrow cares for the children of incarcerated mothers as well as the women themselves. Without support, the effects of poverty and incarceration can pass from one generation to the next. Providing safety, education, healthcare, and consistent care can interrupt that cycle at a critical moment.

At fifteen, Nancy could easily have become another young mother whose education and opportunities ended too soon. Instead, she was given the support to keep moving forward—not only for herself, but for the little girl whose future was now intertwined with her own.