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Southwest Florida (WFTX) — “The right thing is coming here and doing what I need to do for these moms because if this place doesn’t exist, they’re the collateral damage.”
As you watch Executive Director Nadege Borgat run between meetings and phone calls, it’s hard to imagine she was once on the other side of The New Beginnings of SWFL. At just 17-years-old, she found herself pregnant with no education and nowhere to turn.
“My first child…is really what motivated me,” said Nadege. “I didn’t want him to go through what I went through.”
That’s when her adoptive parents, Bill and Mary, walked into her life.
“I was sarcastic and angry, and they understood that. They overlooked a lot of it.”
After helping Nadege, they decided to create the non-profit in order to help even more women. They help provide housing, therapy, and education to single moms who need help finding their potential.
“My biggest challenge is them not seeing their potential, and knowing when to push them and when to pump the breaks.”
Monica Bejarano, a single mom herself and an employee at The New Beginnings, explained Nadege’s story is a beacon of hope for every woman who walks through the door.
“They are able to see her and be like ‘She started where I started?’ and ‘Oh, really? That’s what she’s doing now,'” said Monica. “It gives that tangible idea of what she does.”
Nadege’s life is completely different from when she was a teenager. She has her masters, she’s a wife, and a mother of three. Now, her full focus is on women in Southwest Florida who need her help.
“When you’re helping one person you’re changing their generational story. You’re helping their kids, their great-grandkids and down the line. So it’s really fulfilling.”
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