Victoria’s Read

Below is one of the stories that will be shared during Nipissing Performs for Poverty which is part of Nipissing University’s Poverty Awareness Week.  Join us for the readings of stories like Sasha’s, along with music and dance performances on February 4th at 6:30pm at The Wall  all in an effort to raise awareness about local poverty. 

A Day in the Life of Sasha

It’s not easy being a mother nowadays - you have to save every penny and live from pay cheque to pay cheque. My husband works two jobs and it’s still not enough to support the two of us, not to mention our one year old daughter and newborn son. 

I wake up in the morning knowing that I have to make sure everything like food, diapers and formula lasts until the end of the month.  On top of that, there is the constant worry of doing coin laundry. It is way too expensive for us to do laundry and it’s simply money that we do not have.

I never thought that things would ever get so tough but they did and now my family is suffering for it. It doesn’t make me feel proud to say, “I can’t do that, because I can’t afford it.”  My self-esteem is at the minimum and I feel like I am at the end of my rope. I try to do things with my kids everyday but I just can’t afford the transportation to get to most programs and some activities simply cost money that again, I do not have.  Me and my kids are forced to spend most of our days at home instead of getting out of the house like “normal” families do.

Food banks for me are the lowest point. When I have to visit a food bank, it makes me feel like I have failed as a mother, wife and “normal” human being.  I don’t think that anyone should be made to feel this way.
On top of all this anguish, I must live in an apartment building where if I step out on the back porch, I fear for my safety. The landlord refuses to fix it until someone falls through it. Is this somewhere you would want to live?

The truth is that I need a hand up, not a hand out. I need something to help our family through this tough time and keep us out of what seems like a constant down slope; one that is never-ending.

For more information, please email mentor@nipissingu.ca or call 474-3450 ext. 4241.