Tiblets’ Story of Courage and New Beginnings
At just 11 years old, Tiblets made a life-changing decision—leaving behind her small village in war-torn Eritrea in search of a better future. In a place where famine was common and girls were often forced into marriage by age 15, she knew her only chance for a different life was to leave. “One morning in 2013, I picked up my backpack like I was going to school and headed to Ethiopia,” she recalls. “I didn’t tell my parents I was leaving. My eyes teared up because I knew if I crossed the border, there would be no going back.”
Tiblets spent three years in the Adi Harush refugee camp in Ethiopia, living in uncertainty and sharing a small house with ten other children. When she was told she would be resettled in the United States, she could hardly believe it. “My heart jumped like a frog,” she says. “Because I had never been to a fancy place like the airport, when I arrived, I thought I was in heaven.” But her journey was far from over. Arriving in Texas alone, Tiblets was placed in foster care, navigating yet another unfamiliar world—this time with a new language, a new culture, and no family to welcome her.
Her foster sister introduced her to ISF as she was preparing to enter the University of North Texas, and soon, she became an ISF-Texas scholar. With ISF’s support, Tiblets had access to tutoring, mentorship, and financial assistance—resources that made all the difference as she worked to catch up academically.
“I was in high school, but my skill was at a middle school level, so they pushed me to improve,” she shares. “They paid for tutoring, they would come home from work and help me with my English. That’s why I succeeded—because I had that support.”
Now a thriving college student, Tiblets is building the future she once only dreamed of. Her story is a testament to the power of education, resilience, and the unwavering support of ISF. For foster youth like Tiblets, ISF provides more than just scholarships—it provides the family, encouragement, and opportunities they need to succeed.
