Sofia Chaverra's mother battled breast cancer for about 16 years before she lost her fight, and her wish was for her daughters to reunite in Australia.
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In January 2020 it came true, when Sofia made the more than 14,000 kilometre journey from Colombia to Canberra to reunite with her older sister.
Months later the 18-year-old's mother passed away.
"[Australia's] better than Columbia unfortunately," Chaverra said.
"My mum wanted me to move here with my sister for that reason."
The West Canberra Wanderers FC club and the Canberra soccer community have rallied around the young player to keep her in the capital, as she works, plays the world game and studies to stay.
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Her former player/coach Emma Stanbury is bypassing gifts and using her upcoming 30th birthday in September to fundraise to help keep Chaverra in her new home.
"Sofia is a very dear friend of mine, more like a little sister," Stanbury said.
"I have watched this girl grow, learn another language and show resilience and compassion to her Australian friends in the time I have known her. Sofia is a truly good person who owns a big place in my heart.
"Sofia currently lives with me and all I see is her working countless hours to try and save for her visa and I can see her tired eyes most days."
The Facebook fundraiser has a target of $8500 and already more than $2000 has been raised to help pay for her visa and her study.
Stanbury said she was grateful for the support the fundraiser had received from the soccer community, and friends and family. She said it did not matter how much each person donated, every bit counted.
"It's got a lot to do with her ... because so many people know her and know the person that she is, a lot of the people that are donating are people that I know have got relationships with her, because obviously Sofia has made an impact on their lives, they know she's a good person and she deserves the help.
"Sofia plays a game of soccer and she goes to Guzman y Gomez and starts working because she's trying to save as much as she can and she's not actually enjoying what she should be at the age of 18," she said.
"She's only young and last year lost her mum, which is a big thing, so I feel like the financial stress on top of all that, it's not good for someone of her age which is why we're trying to do the fundraiser to take a bit of that weight off her shoulders."
Chaverra made the move from Medellin to the ACT last year, only months before the COVID-19 pandemic touched down in Australia.
This year is her first season with the Wanderers in the NPLW and she is her side's leading goal scorer, with five goals under her belt for Woden so far.
Because of limitations on her work hours - due to her student visa restrictions - her study costs and her visa cost, she said she was very happy when she found out about Stanbury's fundraiser.
"She is like my angel in this world," Chaverra said.
"I just want to stay here and I only want to come back to Colombia to visit. I love Australia and I love this city."
The Wanderers player is currently studying an online course to meet her visa requirements but hopes to move into a health pathway, such as physiotherapy or nursing down the track.
Her sister, and her sister's family, have since moved to Melbourne to further their income opportunities and in turn seek out cheaper study options for the young striker.
However, the fundraiser may help Chaverra remain in the capital and continue her study by covering some of the cost of international student fees.
Stanbury is hoping this is the case and is going above and beyond the fundraiser to help her stay, by offering her free rent and placing the young players happiness above all.
"If she decides she's comfortable here, whatever works out better for her, she's got a home here as well," the 29-year-old said.
"Because I know she enjoys Wanderers and her friends that she has made in Canberra, so it's just a matter of trying to do, I guess, what's best for her at the moment."
Until the fundraiser ends on September 13, the Wanderers' player has her sights set on three points and increasing her goal tally against Canberra Croatia FC on Sunday, for now.
To donate, visit the fundraiser page here.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
