One night I promised myself that, if I ever had a family of my own, I would never allow them to go through what I went through. Yes, I made mistakes—I was young—but it was then that I decided to take on every opportunity I could to try and better myself. I have worked hard over the years to make something of my life that my children can be proud of. It has not always been easy. I'm grateful to my husband, Meng, who has stood by me through all the tough times. We started our family earlier than expected: having our first child at 18. Meng found a job as a compressor mechanic and supported me while I searched for work. Once the baby was born, I worked nights at any job I could find. Eventually, Meng managed to find an apprenticeship in telecommunications. That apprenticeship has led to so many opportunities for us. I won't pretend it was easy. The hours were long and the income was low, but he is now a project manager in his field.