A visit to Cornelia H. in Graz shows what poverty looks like. The single mother is very deficient. And the current inflation makes the situation even worse.
Louisa cuts out paper letters. She puts A, B, C on the kitchen table, smiles shyly and whispers something in her mother’s ear, just like little girls. From birth, Cornelia H. (name changed) takes care of her daughter alone, with whom she lives in a small apartment on the outskirts of Graz.
Learning takes place at night
“We lived near Knittelfeld until March. However, I couldn’t get a job there because there was no day care for Louisa, so we had to move,” says H. But it was also a huge burden in the capital of Styria to get a foothold without family support. Although she was in Graz hasn’t found a job yet, she’s kind of found herself again.
After H. lost her job as a school assistant and her last job was unexpectedly terminated, she is now training to become a social worker. “I do that at night so I can be there for Louisa during the day,” says the full-blooded mother.
Going to the cinema is impossible
She has the prospect of a new position that will start in the autumn and with it the hope that things will go better. As the 35-year-old reports, there simply isn’t enough money to cover everyday life at the moment. That is why she often goes to the Vinzimarkt in Eggenberg. She pulls out all the stops to provide for her basic needs, but the family is cut off from many things.
A visit to the cinema, a meal in a restaurant or even a car is out of the question. “I would like a small bus so that I can show my daughter the world”, H. dreams of a better future.
It’s been 12 years since the last holiday
The last time she went on vacation was twelve years ago. “At some point we will travel to many countries and experience great things,” H. is sure. She tries to look ahead with positive thoughts.
Yet you can see that the situation is a burden to her: the tight money, the constant effort to give her daughter a good life. Her animals have always given her strength. The loss of her dog makes her all the more sad. “I just had to put him to sleep this week.”
Raising the costs for this was almost impossible. “After such situations, I often don’t know what to do anymore.” However, staying frustrated is not an option for her.
Going to school is a big concern
In the fall, a new challenge awaits her when Louisa starts school. It already gives her a headache. In any case, the support she receives from Vinziwerke is a relief. “They support me with school supplies and school fees,” says the 35-year-old.
She wants the new chapter in her child’s life to be unforgettable. Especially since she also knows what it’s like to sleep for weeks in a sleeping bag in an empty room.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help
Now and then she gets hold of pieces via internet sales platforms, with which she brightens up the apartment. “Buying new things is not enough.” Instead, H. tries to breathe new life into old objects or give them a new purpose.
She does not miss luxury goods such as expensive handbags. “The most important thing is my little family, we stick together like musketeers.” Getting help is sometimes the only way out of an emergency. “You don’t have to be ashamed of that.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
