“I’ve had the pleasure of having so many people that believed in me and helped build up my worthiness for the opportunities that I took. And I really want to give that to as many people as I can because it changed my entire life.”
Waukecha Wilkerson is a single mother of three from Compton, California. Her children, Za’Kai (17), Zamia (10), and Edison (9), are the center of her world and the source of her unparalleled motivation. In 2017, Waukecha worked a full-time job Monday through Friday and performed various contractor gigs on the weekends to support her family. In addition to working various jobs, Waukecha enrolled in school at Coastline Community College. Even though she was committed to furthering her education, Waukecha was forced to leave school because she did not have the support she needed to balance work, parenting, and academic obligations.
However, in the midst of adversity, Waukecha found her saving grace: Project Self-Sufficiency. Project Self-Sufficiency provided the Wilkerson family with the level of support they needed to not only survive, but thrive. Project Self-Sufficiency provided supplemental childcare reimbursement, book vouchers for school, emergency rental assistance, presents on Christmas, and financial support for any unexpected expenses. This support allowed for Waukecha to go back to school and earn two associate degrees from Coastline Community College and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sacramento State University. Waukecha is now a homeowner, the board president of Project Self-Sufficiency, and CEO and founder of Won’t She Do It Coaching & Consulting, where she provides support to other single mothers in college.
Read the blog post from program associate Mike White on rwjf.org to learn more about how RWJF is prioritizing and responding to parent and caregiver voices.
