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Support for people with disabilities for a better life in the community

I have been a member of the Red Cross since 2019. Due to the disability I have – left-side paraplegia – I am a member of the Paraplegic Association. During this time, my priority was psychological support, and the members of the Red Cross mobile team listened to me. I could see their strong desire to help, and I knew they would. I am a single mother of two children. At that time, they were minors, in their adolescent years. That period of their upbringing was very challenging due to the lack of a father figure, and I did not have enough authority over them. I was afraid that my children might go down the wrong path. The psychologist from the mobile team regularly visited, and we would have conversations in my apartment or at the Red Cross. These young women were always available for support, even by phone, text, or calls, even after working hours. I lived in a 13-square-meter apartment. They provided me with a donation of a bunk bed for the children, a mattress I could sleep on, and blankets. They also donated new clothes and shoes. They regularly donated food and hygiene items, which were very important to me due to my low income and high expenses. They also provided me with one-time financial assistance whenever I was in a difficult situation – it was my lifeline. Over time, the family situation changed and became more complicated. During the pandemic, my partner, with whom I had lived for a relatively short time due to his tendency toward violence, abandonment, and leaving the house, returned because he had nowhere to go. I accepted him back, thinking his authority over the children would have a positive influence. However, despite the violence I was enduring for the sake of the children, he succeeded in turning them against me. At that time, all three of them were against me, and they psychologically and physically abused me. With constant psychological support, I gained the strength to break free from the vicious cycle I had been stuck in for so long and to move on. I endured violence, but I wanted us all to stay together. The family was dysfunctional and toxic. They moved out, and I remained in my apartment, which had been provided to me for use as a person with a disability by the Secretariat. I lost my family, but I gained peace. However, I felt as if my own children had stabbed me in the back. Soon, I accepted that this was the reality I had to face and moved on. Due to the stress, I lost a lot of weight, but over time, I regained my strength. The Red Cross included me in self-help groups. We gathered every Sunday, socialized, talked, went on trips, celebrated birthdays… I made new acquaintances, and I felt better thanks to these gatherings, which were always full of laughter, jokes, and songs.

In the meantime, they helped me find employment. A Red Cross beneficiary, who is also part of the same program, suffers from complete vision loss, became ill, and needed help at home with hygiene, nutrition, and other needs. Additionally, she was immobile. The Red Cross mobile team assessed that I could help her and earn money, which was very important to me due to my difficult economic situation.

Thanks to them and the trust they placed in me, my quality of life has significantly improved over the past 5 months. I now have enough resources for a dignified life and can afford things I once only dreamed of. My mental health has greatly improved, and my financial situation has stabilized. Thanks to the support of the mobile team, I live a better, calmer, and happier life. They are still by my side. I am grateful for everything, but most of all, for living a life free of violence!”

Let us support people with disabilities by organizing various inclusive events and activities in which they will be active participants.

It is especially important to support them by providing access ramps at all areas of important institutions where it is necessary for them to exercise their rightful entitlements. If you wish to donate for people with disabilities, you can do so by making a contribution for preventive medical exams and rehabilitation services.

We fight for a better world.