Refrigerator for Ludmilla

Ludmilla, 40, suffers from PTSD stemming from sexual abuse that she suffered as a child. She married at 17 and had three children with her husband. Subsequently, she divorced him because he was abusive. She then had another child and, once again, was subject to abuse by the father. Despite a restraining order, Ludmilla lives in fear of the harm that he might inflict on her or the children. In addition to her psychological issues, Ludmilla struggles with fibromyalgia. She used to work in a plant nursery but was laid off during the Corona crisis. Since then, her health has deteriorated, making it impossible for her to return to work.

Ludmilla now receives a government disability stipend and some food assistance. Her former husband pays child support for their three children (the oldest of whom is 12), but there is not enough money to cover the monthly costs of a family of five. Ludmilla’s old refrigerator has started making strange noises and is failing. She needs a new fridge so that she can feed her family properly, but she does not have the money to buy it.