Latest news with #Peru
Malay Mail
7 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Peru's president Dina Boluarte hits record low approval of 2pc amid scandals and protests
LIMA, June 1 — With an approval rating of just two per cent, Peru's President Dina Boluarte may be the world's most unpopular leader, according to pollsters. Protests greeted her rise to power 29 months ago, and have marked her entire term—joined by assorted scandals, investigations, controversies and a surge in gang violence. The 63-year-old is the target of a dozen probes, including for her alleged failure to declare gifts of luxury jewels and watches, a scandal inevitably dubbed 'Rolexgate.' She is also under the microscope for a two-week undeclared absence for nose surgery—which she insists was medical, not cosmetic—and is being investigated for her role in a police crackdown that caused the deaths of 50 protesters. Against that bleak backdrop, Boluarte's never-high popularity hit rock bottom this month. The Ipsos polling agency found she had a two-per cent approval rating, down from 21 per cent when she took office. 'We might be talking about a world record of sustained presidential disapproval,' Ipsos Peru president Alfredo Torres told AFP. It is the lowest score Ipsos has measured in any of the other 90 countries it surveys, Torres said. Yet as far as recent Peruvian presidents go, she is not just a survivor, but positively an elder stateswoman. The South American nation has had six presidents in eight years and if Boluarte lasts to the end of her term next year, she would be the longest-serving of them all. Weakness is strength Despite not having a party in Congress, she has managed to stay in power with the backing of Peru's majority right-wing parties. Analysts say voter lethargy and political expediency have so far helped Boluarte buck the trend of prematurely ousted Peruvian leaders. 'In Peru, there is a political paradox: Boluarte is the weakest president of the last decade,' political analyst Augusto Alvarez of the University of the Pacific told AFP. But her weakness is 'also her strength,' he said, explaining that a lame-duck president is politically useful for Congress. 'It is a great business to have a fragile president whom they (lawmakers) use' to entrench their own power and pass laws beneficial to allies and backers, said Alvarez. Transparency International's Peruvian chapter Proetica has cited Congress for 'counter-reforms, setbacks in anti-corruption instruments... and shielding of members of Congress who are ethically questioned.' Boluarte has other factors counting in her favor. Congress is seemingly keeping her around for lack of a better, consensus, candidate. Another plus for Boluarte: Peru's economy has been performing well, with GDP growing 3.3 percent last year and 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2025 -- a steep improvement from the 2020 recession blamed on Covid pandemic lockdowns. Peru's inflation rate is one of the lowest in the region. 'The economy continues to function, there is enormous resilience, and the population's income is growing,' said Alvarez. But this may have little to do with policy, observers say, and more with external factors such as rising copper prices. Peru is one of the top producers of the metal. 'Terrible image' On the street, there is little love for Boluarte, as Peru battles a surge in gang violence characterized by a wave of killings linked to extortion rackets. Boluarte 'has no empathy, she is an incapable president, she does not solve the security problem,' Saturnino Conde, a 63-year-old teacher, told AFP. At frequent marches against the president, the catchphrase: 'Dina, Asesina!' (Dina, Murderer!) has become a popular refrain. But a full-out rebellion appears unlikely, say analysts. Peruvians 'feel it's not worth it: if she resigns or is dismissed, she would be replaced by a member of Congress, but Congress also has a terrible image,' said Ipsos manager Torres. In addition, 'there is no other candidate that captivates, which is why people are not in a hurry to remove her from power.' — AFP
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
The World's Best Ultra-Aged Rum, According To The SF World Spirit Competition
The Ultra-Aged Rum Finalists From The 2025 SFWSC Eight rums are finalists, five for the World's Best Aged Rum 5 Years & Older, and three for World's Best Overproof Rum at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is one of the world's most prestigious spirit judging events, and both consumers and the beverage industry closely follow its results. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for the finalists. Cartavio XO is a premium rum from Peru, crafted by Destilerías Unidas. It's a blend of rums aged up to 18 years, matured in a solera system using American, French, and Slovenian oak casks. It reflects Peru's balanced, elegant rum style, which is less sweet than its counterparts in South and Central America, with a greater influence from its dry Andean terroir. The rum is refined and smooth on the palate, featuring aromas of dried fig, orange zest, vanilla, and old leather. It's soft and full-bodied on the palate, showcasing roasted nuts, baking spices, cocoa powder, and caramel with a subtle tannic dryness. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of cedar, caramel, and dark chocolate. Ron Zacapa 23 is a renowned Guatemalan rum crafted from virgin sugarcane syrup, aged in a solera system for up to 23 years in ex-bourbon, sherry, and Pedro Ximénez casks. Aged at an altitude of over 7,500 feet in the highlands of Quetzaltenango, it is known for its sweet, velvety character. The rum is aromatic and lush on the nose, featuring caramelized banana, raisin, vanilla, baking spice, and brown sugar. It's silky and sweet on the palate, showcasing notes of molasses, toffee, dried fruit, cinnamon, and a hint of cherry liqueur. The finish is long and semi-sweet, with lingering notes of vanilla and toasted oak. This expression blends rums from Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad, aged up to 15 years. It's a celebration of Caribbean and South American rum terroirs, combining pot and column still influences. The rum is complex and layered on the nose, featuring molasses, ripe plantain, vanilla, orange zest, and cocoa nibs. It's dry and fruity, showcasing tropical fruit, roasted nuts, allspice, brown sugar, and burnt caramel. The finish is medium in length, with lingering notes of fruit, spices, and seasoned wood. Elegant tray with two glasses of rum, cuban cigars, chocolate and coffee beans. The tray is adorned with tobacco leaves. This XO expression is a blend of rums aged in Barbados and finished in French cognac casks at Maison Ferrand. Initially crafted to celebrate Alexandre Gabriel's 20th anniversary as master blender, it represents the classic Planteray style of tropical richness and French refinement. The rum is rich and aromatic, with notes of ripe banana, coconut, tobacco leaf, vanilla, and a hint of spice cake. It's smooth and robust on the palate, expressing notes of dried fruit, crème brûlée, nutmeg, toasted almond, and a hint of fresh grape must. The finish is long and elegant, with lingering tropical fruit, soft baking spices, and seasoned oak. Puerto Rico's oldest rum brand, Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars, is a solera-style rum aged 6 to 10 years in ex-Oloroso sherry barrels. Unlike many rums from the region, it is unsweetened, showcasing a drier, more structured profile. The rum is fruity and dry on the nose, featuring toasted walnut, dried apricot, cinnamon and clove spice, seasoned oak, and Sherry aromas. It's smooth and complex on the palate, showcasing candied orange zest, roasted nuts, seasoned oak, dried fruit, and cocoa powder. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of caramelized citrus, nutmeg, and seasoned wood. Worthy Park Overproof is a 100% pot-still Jamaican rum. It's made from a combination of molasses and cane juice distillates. Aged for several years in ex-bourbon barrels, this is an ester-rich expression of traditional Jamaican rum, featuring bold tropical and grassy character. The rum is intense and funky, with notes of green banana, overripe pineapple, olive brine, and pronounced aromas of molasses and pepper. It's robust and very flavorful on the palate, with an oily texture and a notable mouth weight, showcasing classic Jamaican funk flavors, herbaceous cane juice, charred oak, brown and burnt sugar, and clove. The finish is long and fruity, with lingering notes of spice and herbal funk. Liberty & Plenty Distillery is a North Carolina craft distiller producing Caribbean-style rums under the Cap & Cane Spirits brand. This Overproof Rum blends high-ester molasses-based rum and lighter distillates. It's intended for cocktail applications, particularly tropical and classic rum punches. The nose is fresh and vibrant, featuring notes of sugarcane, lemon peel, and vanilla, with subtle earthy and funky undertones. It's smooth and remarkably well-balanced for an overproof rum, showcasing toasted coconut, light esters, citrus, and slight spice notes. The finish is long and slightly peppery, with lingering notes of herbaceous cane, dried fruits, and seasoned wood. O.F.T.D. is a Royal Navy-style rum developed by Planteray. According to the company, 'Alexandre Gabriel, our award-winning cellar master, scoured rum-joints around the world to find six grizzled old salts and together, they came up with this blend. The rum, sourced from Guyana, Jamaica, and Barbados, captures the intensity and richness of classic navy-strength rums. The rum is robust and aromatic, featuring molasses, coffee bean, ripe banana, burnt orange, and clove. It's smooth and syrupy on the palate, showcasing dark sugar, black licorice, charred oak, baking spice, and a pronounced note of tropical funk. The finish is long and flavorful, with lingering notes of dark fruit, anise, and espresso. These rums are flavorful and intense, presenting a broad array of intense flavors and textures. They can be used to craft potent cocktails and are also outstanding sipping rums. They offer a diverse range of aroma and flavor profiles. If you're a rum enthusiast, these rums are well worth exploring.
Independent Singapore
14 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Trump's immigration crackdown could shatter the backbone of American childcare
USA: Catalina, 23 years old, self-assuredly goes to her job as a child caregiver, receiving a reasonable wage for work she loves. On the other hand, her mother, a settler from Peru with no proper papers, has the same job and works the same hours, yet has spent the last three decades lurking in the shadows, receiving a lower salary and taking on more risks. 'I've done very well because I was born here,' Catalina was quoted as saying in a recent CNN report. 'The pay is very good when you speak Spanish, but my mom doesn't get the same.' Catalina's name was changed to protect her family, especially her mother, who had considered returning to Peru when Obama was still president. Heartened by the decrease in interior extraditions and comforted by her community, she remained in the U.S. Nonetheless, the Trump era ushered in a different kind of distress—one that remains. Catalina now has legal papers that name her as custodian of her younger siblings should her mother be imprisoned. 'It's awful to think about, but she feels prepared,' Catalina says. An essential workforce in crisis Childcare in the U.S. is at a snapping point—and refugees, like Catalina's mom, are indispensable to keep it going. 'Immigrant workers are critical to keeping that system running,' says Wendy Cervantes, director of Immigration and Immigrant Families at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). According to data from the National Women's Law Center, 20% of early childhood instructors are migrants. Many are women working without incentives or bonuses, with no job security, and often without basic labour protections. Catalina's mother is among the many who are in this situation. 'She gets paid in cash or by check, but no benefits. Nothing,' Catalina said. Until now, she continues to work, making both ends meet for her family and paying her duties despite having no proper access to the structure she helps thrive. Fear on the school run For Catalina's mother, even picking up the children she looks after can be frightening. Since the Trump government revoked protections that once nominated schools and other sites as 'sensitive locations' off-limits to immigration prosecution, the dread of being arrested keeps nagging at her. 'She hides in the car when she sees police officers,' Catalina said. 'Sometimes I meet her there so she feels safer.' The absence or lack of policies that once provided slight protection now leaves caregivers without legal status, extremely vulnerable. 'There's no prioritization anymore,' says Cervantes. 'Everyone without status is a target.' Without regulations and monitoring, even long-time residents who contribute to the community can be taken by enforcers. The silent cost of deportation Catalina dreams of building a home for her mother in Peru, a place of refuge, should the need ever arise. 'Here, my mom has no one,' she says. 'But she says, 'My daughter will be left alone,' and that frightens her too.' The emotional and logistical burden of parting from each other weighs heavily on families like theirs. In the meantime, the political push for extended extradition controls could undermine the nation's delicate childcare system. 'If we lose immigrant workers, especially those who care for our children, we will all suffer,' Cervantes warns. The unseen toil of non-status caregivers sustains not just individual families but also props up the larger economy. Without them, working parents across the country would struggle to keep going. Catalina's mother is more than just a babysitter; she's a huge chunk of an imperceptible system that keeps America running. Her story serves as a poignant reminder of how vital yet vulnerable this labor force truly is.
Arab News
20 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
The world's most unpopular president? Peru's leader clings to power
LIMA: With an approval rating of just two percent, Peru's President Dina Boluarte may be the world's most unpopular leader, according to pollsters. Protests greeted her rise to power 29 months ago, and have marked her entire term — joined by assorted scandals, investigations, controversies and a surge in gang violence. The 63-year-old is the target of a dozen probes, including for her alleged failure to declare gifts of luxury jewels and watches, a scandal inevitably dubbed 'Rolexgate.' She is also under the microscope for a two-week undeclared absence for nose surgery — which she insists was medical, not cosmetic — and is being investigated for her role in a police crackdown that caused the deaths of 50 protesters. Against that bleak backdrop, Boluarte's never-high popularity hit rock bottom this month. The Ipsos polling agency found she had a two-percent approval rating, down from 21 percent when she took office. 'We might be talking about a world record of sustained presidential disapproval,' Ipsos Peru president Alfredo Torres told AFP. It is the lowest score Ipsos has measured in any of the other 90 countries it surveys, Torres said. Yet as far as recent Peruvian presidents go, she is not just a survivor, but positively an elder stateswoman. The South American nation has had six presidents in eight years and if Boluarte lasts to the end of her term next year, she would be the longest-serving of them all. Backed by corrupt majority rightwing parties Despite not having a party in Congress, she has managed to stay in power with the backing of Peru's majority right-wing parties. Analysts say voter lethargy and political expediency have so far helped Boluarte buck the trend of prematurely ousted Peruvian leaders. 'In Peru, there is a political paradox: Boluarte is the weakest president of the last decade,' political analyst Augusto Alvarez of the University of the Pacific told AFP. But her weakness is 'also her strength,' he said, explaining that a lame-duck president is politically useful for Congress. 'It is a great business to have a fragile president whom they (lawmakers) use' to entrench their own power and pass laws beneficial to allies and backers, said Alvarez. Transparency International's Peruvian chapter Proetica has cited Congress for 'counter-reforms, setbacks in anti-corruption instruments... and shielding of members of Congress who are ethically questioned.' Boluarte has other factors counting in her favor. Congress is seemingly keeping her around for lack of a better, consensus, candidate. Another plus for Boluarte: Peru's economy has been performing well, with GDP growing 3.3 percent last year and 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2025 — a steep improvement from the 2020 recession blamed on Covid pandemic lockdowns. Peru's inflation rate is one of the lowest in the region. 'The economy continues to function, there is enormous resilience, and the population's income is growing,' said Alvarez. But this may have little to do with policy, observers say, and more with external factors such as rising copper prices. Peru is one of the top producers of the metal. Little love for her from the street On the street, there is little love for Boluarte, as Peru battles a surge in gang violence characterized by a wave of killings linked to extortion rackets. Boluarte 'has no empathy, she is an incapable president, she does not solve the security problem,' Saturnino Conde, a 63-year-old teacher, told AFP. At frequent marches against the president, the catchphrase: 'Dina, Asesina!' (Dina, Murderer!) has become a popular refrain. But a full-out rebellion appears unlikely, say analysts. Peruvians 'feel it's not worth it: if she resigns or is dismissed, she would be replaced by a member of Congress, but Congress also has a terrible image,' said Ipsos manager Torres. In addition, 'there is no other candidate that captivates, which is why people are not in a hurry to remove her from power.'
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Peru Two's Michaella McCollum reveals the hell that could await Brits accused of drug trafficking abroad - and why she sees them as 'victims'
Michaella McCollum has vivid memories of prison paella, and the maggots lurking within. 'I remember how I'd lay all the rice out, to see which grains I could eat and which were maggots. Back home, it was reported that I'd gone on hunger strike, but I hadn't.' She also remembers her poor mum arriving, braving corrupt prison guards and six-hour waits in the blazing Peruvian heat, with bags of food, which Michaella would fall upon. 'She'd bring a whole chicken, which I'd eat with my fingers, and there would be cockroaches climbing up onto the table and I'd just flick them away. I mean, they didn't even bother me, by then. You become so used to it. And I suppose there is a level of guilt and shame that you feel it's acceptable, even though it isn't.' The cockroaches bother her now, though. She raises her forearm. 'I've got goosebumps, just talking about them. But then... normal. It's astonishing what you adapt to, and how resilient you can be.' Even her resilience has limits, though. As one of the notorious Peru Two, Michaella served three years in a hardcore prison near Lima when she was convicted of drug smuggling. She does not quibble with the sentence, acknowledging she deserved it, but reckons today that three years was her 'top limit'. 'I could not do 20 years in a prison like that,' she says. 'I just couldn't. And that's what those girls are facing.' By 'those girls' she means the two young British women facing similar drug smuggling charges, currently locked up in prisons that must feel as far from home as hers did. The arrests of Bella May Culley, 18, and Charlotte May Lee, 21, have made global headlines in recent weeks. The cases are unrelated: Bella, from Teesside, is charged with trying to smuggle 14kg of cannabis into Georgia; while Charlotte, from Coulsdon in south London, faces similar charges in Sri Lanka relating to 46kg of synthetic drug kush – which can be 25 times more potent than opioid fentanyl. Charlotte appeared in court yesterday, handcuffed and tearful. If found guilty, both will be looking at up to 20 years behind bars. Few can possibly understand what they and their families are going through, but Northern Irish-born Michaella, who is now a 31-year-old mother to twin boys, can. She was just 19 when she made 'the greatest mistake of my life', effectively agreeing to become a drugs mule. She was arrested with 20-year-old Scot Melissa Reid, whom she had never met before their fateful trip from Ibiza to Peru. The pictures of the Peru Two as they came to be known, standing forlornly by mismatching suitcases – Michaella with her then black hair, scraped into a high, 'doughnut' bun – went round the world. An iconic illustration of how stupid, and perhaps gullible, young people can be. And now history appears to be repeating itself. Michaella says it was her mother who first heard about the arrest of Bella Culley and called her. 'The situation was almost exactly the same. Her mum had reported her missing, then it emerged that she'd been arrested. There were such parallels with my case – except it was just in a different country.' Her heart immediately went out to Bella, then to Charlotte, a former TUI air stewardess whose story emerged days later. Both women have denied the charges against them. 'I couldn't help but feel bad for them,' Michaella says. 'They are 19 and 21. Whatever they have done, it's so young to be caught up in something like this, and I know what they are going to go through. And their families. It's the worst thing anybody can have to face.' Bella's situation seems even more precarious. She told the court in Tbilisi that she was pregnant which, if true, adds a layer of horror. 'As a mum, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to give birth in that sort of place, and to potentially have the child taken from you and put into care,' says Michaella. 'That adds a whole new, terrifying, dimension. It's just incredibly sad.' In some quarters there has been scant public sympathy for these two, which Michaella understands. She challenges it, though. 'It's easy to look at girls like this and think 'how could you be so stupid?' but I look back at myself and think exactly that. 'I don't know the circumstances in detail here, but I do know that of all the women I came across who had been involved in drug smuggling, only about 10 per cent were doing it as a business, who knew the risks and accepted them. 'The vast majority were the victims of some sort of coercion, usually by men. Prisons all over the world are full of women who have been caught up in something like this. 'And the men at the top rarely get caught. The men who pulled all the strings in my case were never held to account.' Indeed, Charlotte May Lee has already spoken to investigators about a mysterious British man called 'Dan' whom she claims she'd met on the beach in Thailand, who – she says – bought her a ticket to Colombo, promised to join her later for a holiday, then promptly vanished. Ironically, it wasn't until Michaella cooperated with a 2022 Netflix documentary about her case that she started to regard herself as a 'victim'. 'It was when I was watching an actress do some of the re-enactments of my story that I realised there had been exploitation and coercion going on here. 'At the time I was so high (on cocaine) that I could barely walk. Yet the men around me were all sober. I thought they were my friends, but actually they didn't give a s*** about me. When you are 19 and 20 you are so hopelessly naive. You don't even know that there are such bad things in the world, never mind that it could happen to you.' Michaella had been offered £5,000 to smuggle those drugs – a pitiful figure, she admits. 'But in a lot of cases like mine the money isn't life changing, which makes me think even more that there is an element of being tricked into it. I mean who would risk spending 20 years of your life in prison for £3,000 or £4,000 or even £10,000. Even £50,000 isn't enough. No amount of money is worth your freedom.' A few years ago, Michaella wrote a book about her ordeal, which brought understandable criticism from those who feel she should not have been allowed to capitalise on her notoriety. She denies it was a money-spinner ('the financial return was very small, and I wasn't paid for the Netflix documentary either'). Still, on reading it, you do rather wish it could be handed out with boarding passes to youngsters venturing abroad for the first time, as she was. To her credit, Michaella has worked with the police to tell her story to impressionable teens. She grew up in Dungannon, County Tyrone, in a large and seemingly loving family, but her parents were separated and they were a Catholic family in a largely Protestant area. She cites sectarianism as one of the things she wanted to escape, first with drink, drugs and partying, before heading to Ibiza, to work as a hostess in clubs. She says she threw herself into the hedonism in the summer of 2013, taking cocaine and ketamine. 'I think the drugs were a big part of what happened. Everybody was doing them. It was just normal.' She 'fell in with a crowd' that included a drug dealer – 'a Cockney called Dave'. Alarm bells should have rung over the fact he was always sober 'when everyone else was drunk or high', but they didn't. The first time she was asked to transport a 'package', she refused. The second time, she agreed. The word 'drugs' was never mentioned, but she knew, 'sort of'. The naivety is extraordinary but she reminds me she was 'off her head, thinking in a way that wasn't stable'. On that fateful trip, she flew first from Ibiza to Mallorca, where it had been arranged that she would meet up with Melissa Reid, and fly to Peru. To this day, Michaella maintains she was so clueless that she didn't even know where Peru was. 'I thought it was another city in Spain,' she says. When the two arrived, their orders were to pass themselves off as tourists – hence a surreal trip to Machu Picchu. It was on the return trip – with bags full of cocaine – that they were arrested. So began 'the worst nightmare you can imagine'. Her account of her three years in Lima's notorious Ancon 2 prison is grim. Michaella shared a 'bedroom' with hundreds of other female inmates, sleeping on concrete bunks 'like a zoo'. The prisoners included a woman who had killed her own child and served the baby up as food for her unfaithful husband, and another who had murdered and dismembered her mother-in-law. Corruption was rife, with guards routinely taking 'food, magazines, books, chocolates' from visitors' bags. Also prevalent was the trading of sexual favours for basics like water. One of the first Spanish phrases Michaella learned was 'don't touch me'. There were specific challenges that came with being white and British. 'That made it worse for us. Some of the guards thought we were princesses. They just see white skin, blue eyes.' She says she was also 'scammed' by legal professionals. 'People see foreigners as money magnets and charge a lot more to help them. I remember looking back and thinking 'we have been robbed'.' Both girls were eventually sentenced to six years and eight months, after pleading guilty to drug trafficking. They ended up serving three years, and were released back home, on parole, in 2016. Michaella knows they were lucky – at one point they were facing 15 years. Whatever sentence she served – and deserved – the toll on her family was horrendous. The saddest part of her story is when she talks about the impact on her mother, who had a stroke as Michaella was waiting for her trial. 'She was suffering panic attacks. She was so depressed. Her life went on hold, the whole family's did.' Her mother, now in her 70s, made a full recovery but the guilt is still there for Michaella. She counts herself fortunate that her family stood by her. 'Some people in prison didn't have that. Their families didn't visit. They had no one on the outside. I only kept going because I knew I had to make amends to mine.' The last year of her sentence was particularly difficult. 'I think for the first two I tricked myself that it was fine, I was learning Spanish, getting my life in order – away from the drugs. 'But that final year, I struggled. When you are in that environment – there was always noise, screaming, chaos – it's hard not to go insane. I honestly don't think I would have been able to do another four or five or ten years. I would probably have thought of just taking a way out.' Michaella today is barely recognisable from the terrified young girl in those iconic photos. She jokes a little about her hairstyle: 'I didn't have a mirror. I thought I was making myself presentable.' She and Melissa are only in touch via Christmas cards. 'We obviously bonded through this experience that only we understood, but you don't always want to be reminded of that'. She appears to have made good her promise to her mum that she would rebuild her life. She has since gained a degree in business studies, and is soon to start a masters in cybersecurity. This reinventing of her life has gone alongside raising her twins, Rafael and Rio, who have just turned seven. There is no father on the scene. 'No, they weren't planned. I'm doing it on my own, but my mum has been my rock.' One day, she will have to tell her sons about her three years in a Peruvian prison. 'It's probably something that will wait until they are teens, but I will be honest with them. I don't think there's any shame in explaining that I made a huge mistake.' It may be too late for Bella May Culley and Charlotte May Lee, their fates very much in the hands of a legal system of which they have no understanding. But what advice would she give to them now? 'That's a difficult one, but I would tell them to never let their current circumstances define their future. It may seem hopeless at times, but there is always a way forward and don't let go of the fact that life can be rebuilt.'
