Today we’d like to introduce you to Janea Harris.
Hi Janea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, and my journey has been shaped by resilience long before I ever had the language for it. I became a mother at the age of 15, and with that came not only responsibility, but judgment. Many people wrote me off early, including some within my own family, assuming my story had already reached its limits before it truly began. Still, I quietly carried a belief that my circumstances would not have the final word.
At 18, I joined the military in search of stability, discipline, and a better future for my child. Just a few years later, at 21, my life was shaken when I buried my oldest brother after losing him to gun violence. That loss deepened my awareness of the realities so many families face and strengthened my resolve to create change rather than surrender to grief.
At 25, I survived domestic violence, another chapter that could have broken me but instead clarified my purpose. I became determined to break the cycle of lack, trauma, and instability that had affected generations in my family. Despite facing homelessness, teenage pregnancy, grief, and abuse, I pressed forward as a single mother fueled by faith and perseverance. That determination led me to become the first person in my family to graduate from college, a milestone that represented healing, hope, and generational progress.
Those lived experiences became the blueprint for my purpose. They inspired me to launch ONFIYA Agency, Inc in 2012, a nonprofit organization rooted in compassion and lived understanding, designed to support youth and families navigating challenges I once lived myself. What began as a leap of faith has grown into 13 years of consistent service, advocacy, and community impact.
Along the way, I found healing through storytelling and authored “The Shift Within The Boat by Janie Aadhya”, a book that reflects my journey of inner transformation and encourages others to recognize that change often begins within, even when life feels unsteady. And today, I am honored that the work I’ve poured my heart into has been recognized on a national level. I am a two-time Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient (2023 & 2024), personally signed by President Joe Biden, for my service to underserved communities. In 2025, I was appointed to the Douglas County Department of Family and Children Services Advisory Board as Vice President, where I continue to advocate for systemic change. These acknowledgments are humbling, but my true reward is seeing lives transformed and knowing that my story, and the lessons I’ve learned can inspire hope, healing, and possibility for others.
My story is not just about overcoming adversity, but about defying limitations placed on me by others and refusing to accept a narrative that did not align with who I was becoming. I stand as proof that being written off does not mean being counted out, and that with faith and determination, it is possible to turn pain into purpose and build a life that serves others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. If anything, the journey has been layered with challenges that tested me at every turn. I’ve had to navigate jealousy and resistance from people I never expected it from, including family members, coworkers, and even leaders I once looked up to. Sometimes the hardest opposition doesn’t come from strangers, but from those closest to you.
Life was truly “life-ing.” By the age of 31, I had given birth to two more children and was still a single mother, carrying the weight of providing, leading, and surviving all at once. I was trying to build a future while remaining fully present for my children, often with little rest and even less reassurance that I was doing it right. The balancing act was constant and exhausting.
My greatest struggle was navigating motherhood without family support. I didn’t have a strong safety net to fall back on, so I had to figure out how to move forward largely on my own. Every milestone, every setback, every decision had to be carefully thought through because failure was not an option when little lives were depending on me. That lack of support made everything harder, from pursuing opportunities to simply having space to breathe.
Still, those struggles shaped me. They taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and how to keep going even when the road feels lonely. I learned how to build strength in silence and faith in moments where encouragement was absent. While the journey has been heavy at times, it has also been meaningful. Every obstacle reinforced my why and reminded me that perseverance, especially as a single mother, is a powerful form of leadership.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
ONFIYA Agency, Inc is truly my pride and joy. It is more than an organization to me. It is a living extension of my life’s purpose. I founded ONFIYA in 2012 in Columbia, South Carolina, with a clear mission to serve underserved communities by strengthening youth and families through intentional support, prevention, and empowerment. In 2020, we transitioned our operations to Atlanta, and over the past five years, ONFIYA has continued to grow and expand its reach across Douglas, Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton counties.
As the Founder and Executive Director, I specialize in building programs that meet people where they are while helping them envision what is possible. ONFIYA is known for delivering effective mentorship programs, productive services, and large-scale community engagement events that consistently draw massive participation. Families do not just attend our programs, they connect, return, and grow with us.
What truly sets ONFIYA apart is our genuineness and authenticity. Every youth and family that encounters our organization is treated with care, respect, and intention. My team and I take pride in ensuring that everyone we serve feels seen, valued, and loved, not processed or overlooked. Many of the families we support are navigating complex challenges, and ONFIYA exists to be a trusted space of stability, encouragement, and resources.
Our services are rooted in early intervention and prevention. We offer mentorship, financial literacy education, workforce development, a free Entrepreneur Arts and Entertainment Summer Camp, and Mental Health Lunch and Learn workshops designed to support the entire family. This holistic approach allows us to address both immediate needs and long-term growth.
Over the past 13 years, ONFIYA Agency, Inc has impacted more than 10,000 families through our programs and services. Our reach is strengthened through meaningful partnerships with major corporations such as 5 Below, Chick-fil-A, Kroger, Walmart, and Zaxby’s, as well as small businesses, HBCUs, and colleges across Georgia. We are also proud to partner with key government agencies, including the Department of Family and Children Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice, allowing us to support youth and families involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems with care, accountability, and compassion.
What I want readers, donors, sponsors, and volunteers to know is that ONFIYA’s work is rooted in trust and long-term impact. This is not surface-level service. It is transformational work grounded in lived experience, consistency, and heart. When donors invest in ONFIYA Agency, Inc, they are not just funding programs. They are helping rewrite family legacies, restore hope, and create sustainable pathways to success for generations to come.
What’s next?
Our future is centered on creating a place where hope, opportunity, and community come together under one roof. We are working towards building a community center of our own, a safe and welcoming space where youth can discover their potential, families can find resources and support, and everyone who walks through our doors feels seen, valued, and loved. This center will allow us to expand ONFIYA’s programs across Georgia and even into another state, bringing mentorship, education, and empowerment to more communities in need.
One of our biggest dreams is to provide housing for homeless youth and families, a safe haven for those who bravely reach out when they have nowhere else to turn. We imagine a place where children can play without fear, parents can rebuild stability, and families can finally breathe. Every step we take is about turning these dreams into reality, and we invite donors, partners, and volunteers to join us in transforming lives and shaping a future full of hope.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.onfiyaagency.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onfiyainc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1bwmzrb3Ez/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janea-harris-41a702233/
