Jelena’s Story

A single mother from Serbia

“Up until 2017 my life was nothing out of the ordinary and I had no doubt it was going to stay that way. Then, all of a sudden, my little girl lost her father and I lost the love of my life. At that moment I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t know if I could cope with everything that lay ahead. I wasn’t sure that I was strong enough to be a single parent.

I was desperately looking for a way out of that maze because I knew I had to find the strength to move on for my daughter’s sake. A few months later I heard that a programme called “Support, not perfection” was about to start at my daughter’s kindergarten.

The time I spent with the facilitators and other parents was priceless. I learned how to approach my child the right way; how we can help our children gain confidence and selfesteem by giving them a role and letting them decide on their own.

Having a chance to talk with experts and share experiences with other parents gave me the resources I needed to find my way out of the maze. I discovered that I can rely on other people for support. Today the future looks brighter for both of us.”

Volunteer voices

Christian is a French agent based in Bordeaux who decided to become a sponsor for the local The Human Safety Net home, “La Maison des Familles.” Among other initiatives, Christian initiated a fundraising campaign that made it possible for several families to enjoy a weekend trip. They spent together two days away from their difficult daily environments, making it possible to create new, stronger connections between the families involved.