Left alone

Amela’s husband has been in prison for robbery for the past 18 months, with as many to go.

„We left for Germany as economic migrants when Demir, our eldest, was five,“ Amela says. Their attempted economic migration happened few years after Serbian citizens were granted visa-free travel to the Schengen-zone countries. Then, many Roma families attempted seeking asylum in Germany, but none succeeded given Serbia was green-lighted as safe country.

The family spent almost a year in Germany before being deported. Their year in Germany was marked with a tragic event in which their second eldest child lost his life. Amela tries hard to keep it together. „I have three more to look after and one more on the way,“ after a few moments of silence she says sadly. The young mother has yet to find closure for the loss of her child.

„We managed to save some money and bought this house,“ Amela explains how they got to live in the two-room barely furnished home. „Then my husband got arrested. I was left alone with the children.“

Struggling to survive

Amela is an attractive young woman. She says conjugal visits are common in Serbian prisons for convicts with minor felony charges like her husband’s. Allegedly, in this neighbourhood the common logic says that keeping the wife pregnant keeps suitors away.

Amela is struggling with her children. Her two daughters are at pre-school age, while Demir is already a second-grader.

„I don’t do well at school,“ the nine-year-old boy admits. „How could he?“ his mom adds. The home has two couches and two shelves. A small coffee table is the only place where he could do his homework, if there was someone to help him.

Amela is happy that they have a washing machine, a stove and a TV. She cannot help her son with homework as she lacks education herself. She is only 24.

Caring for families

When Amela’s husband went to prison, co-workers of SOS Children’s Villages helped the family survive. They supplied food, clothes and hygienic material. „Ana helped me to keep an optimistic view. She kept my spirit up. She kept dragging me to workshops and group activities. I had no idea why she did that and what was the purpose? I took my children to events they organized without realizing how good it was for them, and for me.

„In time, I understood. They care for families. They were the first ones to actually care for my family, for my children. I never felt that before.“

„SOS Children’s Villages is like a gift from God,“ Amela says. „I don’t know what I’d do without them. I had hopes that Demir would get help with homework and studying. Now you tell me you’re leaving us. It’s like putting all of us in prison.“

No child should be left behind!

Through its comprehensive set of services, the programme of SOS Children’s Villages in the Central Serbian city of Nish helped nearly 300 families stay together and improve their lives.