Anna's Story

Anna’s childhood was not a happy one; it was marked by pain, fear, hunger, and silence. She was never protected. She was never believed. She never had a loving mother or father. On the contrary, she faced years of abuse and neglect; she was not allowed to go to school but was made to work from a young age. All those years of abuse and malnutrition stole her innocence, broke her sense of self-worth, and left many scars. And yet, she is not bitter but one of the kindest, most loving persons we know. The one thing she always swore to herself and us was this: my children will never feel what I felt, my children will be loved and cared for.

Motherhood, however, wasn’t easy. She was only 15 when she had her first child; now, in her early 30s, she has four children. Their father is a good man, but sadly, he cannot work full-time as he has to look after Anna, so his earnings are not enough to support the whole family. Anna suffers from many health issues, her husband does his best to work, do things around the house and look after her and the four children when she is unwell. She suffers from an autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, extreme pain and debilitating anxiety, to mention a few. There are days when simply getting out of bed feels like a mountain to climb. With no other family support, little income, and the weight of her past still affecting her, Anna often feels like she is drowning.

Until one day, she came across the Women for Women Foundation on Facebook.

It took everything in her to get in touch with us, but we are so glad she did. There, for the first time in her life, she tells us she was met with warmth instead of judgment. She was listened to, not dismissed. She was seen, not as broken, but as someone brave, capable, and worth investing in.

The foundation has helped her to access therapy to process her trauma, connected her with doctors who didn’t brush off her symptoms, and supported her with studying, emergency food shopping, clothes, nappies, medication, and school supplies to ensure she succeeds in raising her kids in a happy, safe home. We gave her a sewing machine and a laptop, which helped her turn her many talents into a skill, which turned into a project. We helped her believe she could stand on her own, and she has. She inspires us daily with how far she has come. Anna would love to work, and she does do odd jobs for friends and also for the Foundation, but with four children and various health issues, she knows that for now, it is not possible until her kids are a bit older. It is also Anna’s dream to open her own small business making handmade items from home, which will allow her to still attend to all her children’s school needs, cook meals, and continue to provide a loving home. Anna is amazing, and she also gives back. Every week, she volunteers with Women for Women, mentoring other survivors, helping them navigate housing and social benefits, sometimes just sitting and holding space for their pain. She is no longer silent. Anna tells us that at the foundation, she found a mother she never had….

And she is the mother she never had to her children. Her home is a place of safety. Thanks to her help and dedication, her children are thriving, confident, kind and polite. And every time she looks at them, she knows she’s broken the cycle. Because of her strength. Because of the sisterhood that she knows she has behind her. But for the moment, she still needs us to be there for her for a few more years. Being able to follow and support Anna long-term will guarantee that her kids will thrive, too. We can’t do it alone. If you want to be part of this incredible journey, even just 2 euros a month will help us ensure that no child is left behind.

These stories are part of our Emergency Aid programme. To protect the women and families we support, names and images have been changed, but their stories are real.

Can’t donate right now? Sharing her story helps more than you know.

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