A Teacher Who Believed in Me Taught Me to Believe in Myself By Sandra Maddie
I joined VODW's classes wanting to learn new skills and improve myself, arriving with a mix of nerves, excitement, and happiness over a year and a half spent in ESOL, IT, Mediacom, and Financial Literacy. I believed learning was still possible for me, and that belief was rewarded again and again as my confidence grew session by session.
Communication became one of my clearest gains, alongside a steadily building sense of self assurance. During my sessions, I felt reconnected with myself, watched my stress ease, and built genuine confidence, growth I credit in large part to the people who taught me. One moment in particular has stayed with me deeply, a teacher who believed in me when I did not yet believe in myself, words I will never forget. It is a small sentence that carries enormous weight, the kind of encouragement that can quietly change the direction of a person's life.
I found the lessons genuinely helpful in my everyday life, and by the time my classes ended, I had simply become confident. Graduation brought a pleasant surprise, an unexpected moment of recognition I had not fully anticipated. My gratitude toward my teachers is heartfelt, thanks for their support and the opportunity to learn.
My hope for the future is to keep learning and growing, and to meet other domestic workers along the way, continuing the sense of community that clearly shaped my experience.
My story is a powerful reminder of how much difference a single believing voice can make. A teacher who believed in me when I doubted myself gave me something no lesson alone could teach, proof that I was capable of more than I knew, a belief that now belongs to me fully, and one that echoes the confidence VODW hopes every domestic worker can carry into the fight for the rights and dignity we deserve.
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