Why we opened this campaign
In December 2014, Viktoria and her family arrived in Israel, hoping for a fresh start in the beautiful city of Ashdod. However, truly enjoying the views proved challenging due to significant vision impairments. Viktoria has a vision of -17 and is officially recognized as disabled due to this condition. Her daughter Elvira has -15, severe myopia in both eyes since birth. Her son Miron has -3.5. The only one in the family without acute vision problems is the youngest daughter, Sabrina, born in 2015.
Viktoria is raising her children alone while going through a divorce. Her husband, with whom she repatriated, no longer lives with them and does not provide financial support. The children are forced to study in specialized classes for special education. Elvira receives support from an organization for the visually impaired, learning basic life skills such as walking with dogs, drawing, cooking, and adapting to life with severe health challenges.
In 2015, five-year-old Elvira fell from the third-floor window of their home. Although she survived with only bruises and broken glasses, the incident caused a significant public reaction. Social workers frequently visited Viktoria's home, conducting inspections, and the family was featured in newspapers. While no signs of an unfit family or child abuse were found, the attention certainly did not foster a positive atmosphere at home.
In 2016, just as public attention was waning, another tragedy struck. Viktoria's youngest daughter, one-year-old Sabrina, burned her hands in hot water from the bathtub. Again, there were inspections, social services, questions, explanations, and justifications.
Treating Sabrina's burns took six months, during which Viktoria had to stay in hospitals with her. Consequently, Viktoria had to leave her ulpan studies, which she never managed to complete. The impact of that tragic accident on Sabrina’s health is still felt today.
Currently, Viktoria and her children live in a rented apartment under severe financial strain. She is asking for help to cover their utility debts. The only source of income for the family is disability benefits, which are insufficient.
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