Jena's ability to choose her future has not always been there, growing up she has had to overcome countless difficulties. Living in a single room with your mum and two brothers is tough at the best of times, but consider that the room had no running water and a broken window; meaning that during the winter months (outside temperatures can reach as low as -38c) they were struggling to stay alive. It is hard to describe how horrendous the living conditions were, pictures do not do it justice. we were horrified that people could be forced to live in a…” a room engulfed by damp and cold; it surely should have been condemned.

She has not seen her father since we have known her, like thousands of other Latvian men he simply left home, never to be heard of again. Her mother battled with alcoholism, leaving a young girl growing up without being shown that she was loved and valued.

Hope for Latvia has been able to be a source of support for Jena and her family. We have constantly tried to show her that she is valuable and that people care about her. Straight away we set about fixing the window and installing a sink in the room so that they could have warmth and did not have to venture outside for clean water.   Through the family support fund we have enabled her family to buy food, fuel, medicine and to pay for the equipment needed to help the children through school.

Jena has been able to find part time work as a hair dresser whilst she studies, a job interest she puts down to a family in the UK. They heard that she was desperate to have her hair cut well so that she could have pride in her appearance at school. As a gift, the family took her to have a professional hair cut.  This simple act of generosity has proved to be instrumental in Jena realising her self-worth.

The family have been able to become self sufficient from the family support fund through hard work and by seizing the opportunities given to them through the partnership of our supporters.  Our staff and the other families we support continue to act as a safety net, should things get difficult again 

Hope for Latvia has been able to be a source of support for Jena and her family. We have constantly tried to show her that she is valuable and that people care about her. Straight away we set about fixing the window and installing a sink in the room so that they could have warmth and did not have to venture outside for clean water.   Through the family support fund we have enabled her family to buy food, fuel, medicine and to pay for the equipment needed to help the children through school.

Jena has been able to find part time work as a hair dresser whilst she studies, a job interest she puts down to a family in the UK. They heard that she was desperate to have her hair cut well so that she could have pride in her appearance at school. As a gift, the family took her to have a professional hair cut.  This simple act of generosity has proved to be instrumental in Jena realising her self-worth.

The family have been able to become self sufficient from the family support fund through hard work and by seizing the opportunities given to them through the partnership of our supporters.  Our staff and the other families we support continue to act as a safety net, should things get difficult again

If you want to become part of the solution for families like Jena's, please visit our partnership page.