I never imagined I would be writing something like this, but I am asking for help because I have reached a point where I cannot do this alone anymore.
I am a single mother to 18-month-old twins. When my babies were born, I left my job to care full-time for my father, who was terminally ill. For five months I balanced caring for a newborn pair and a dying parent until he passed away. It was the hardest period of my life, but I would make the same choice again without hesitation. After his death, a few people I had met during his illness helped me survive the immediate aftermath, and I will always be grateful for that kindness.
I am completely alone now. The father of my twins cannot be located and provides no financial or emotional support. My mother passed away in 2022. I have no siblings, no safety net, and no family left to turn to.
I am a UK national currently living in South Africa. At the moment, my twins and I are sleeping on someone’s couch, but we must leave at the end of January 2026. I have no secure housing lined up after that date. Every day I wake up knowing the clock is ticking.
I am well educated, capable, and eager to work. I want nothing more than to build a stable, safe life for my children and myself. However, I am trapped in a situation that feels like a downward spiral: I need childcare to work, I need work to afford childcare, and without stable accommodation, everything becomes more fragile.
Right now, we urgently need help with basic food, short-term accommodation from the end of January, and either childcare funding so I can begin working, or the funds required to apply for my twins’ passports. As UK citizens, returning to the UK could offer us a chance to reset and rebuild—but I currently have no place to stay there and no money for travel or resettlement. Even taking the first step feels impossible without support.
Despite everything, I keep going for my children. I maintain a strict routine for them—I go to sleep at 8pm and wake at 4:30am. My days are non-stop, focused entirely on their care, safety, and development. I am doing everything within my power to hold things together, but love and discipline alone are no longer enough.
Asking for help is deeply humbling. If you are able to contribute in any way, you would be helping us with food, shelter, stability, and time—time for me to stand back up and create a future where my children are safe and secure.
Thank you for reading, for caring, and for any support you are able to offer.
PayPal.me/0000smgm
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