52 Lives

#198 Ali

Request: Donations / Furnishings / Messages

This week, we’d like to help change the life of a single mum and her two year old son.

Ali turned up on the doorstep of a charity 18 months ago. It was the middle of winter and she was wearing her slippers, carrying her baby son and had no coat. She was being abused by her husband and had grabbed her son and fled.

Ali’s visa was dependent on her husband, and he kept control of all the paperwork, so when she left she was terrified of what would happen to her and her baby. But over the next 18 months, she has showed so much resilience and determination and has taken control of her life again.

She secured her residency, and has almost completed her training to be a carer. Ali decided that finding a job out of London, where the cost of living would be much lower, would be the best option. So last week she moved to a small town in Essex, miles from anyone she knows, found a place to live, and is due to start her new job soon.

Ali was nominated by the charity that she originally went to for help. They told me that although Ali and her son (who is now 2) have achieved so much, they are sleeping on a duvet on the floor as she doesn’t have a bed. They have very little furniture, and even when Ali starts working, it is going to take her a long time to be able to afford the things they need.

Ali has been though a lot of heartache in her life. She fled Nigeria, where her mother was killed, and then had to flee an abusive husband. She had to start a new life, gain new qualifications, find a job, and find somewhere to live....all while living in a hostel and looking after her baby on her own. What she has overcome is incredible and we would love to show her some kindness.

Using funds from our regular donors, we have already managed to buy Ali and her son a bed (we wanted to get them off the floor as quickly as we could) but we would love your help to buy the some of the other things they need, as well as some little gifts for her son.

What We Need

1. Donations: We need donations to help pay for some of the bigger items they need. Any funds raised above what is needed for furniture will be used to help cover the cost of food or bills for them. 100% of what you give will be used to help Ali and her son. To make a donation, please click the donate link below.

2. Things for their flat: We have set up an Amazon wishlist with some of the things Ali and her son need. To buy a gift, please click the 'Buy a gift' link below.
(And don't forget, when you buy through Amazon, please use Amazon Smile - that way a % of what you buy is donated to 52 Lives you can sign up to Amazon smile here)

3. Messages: To send a kind message to Ali and her son, please write your message in the form below (your message will be passed along but not your contact details) or letters / cards can be posted to : 52 Lives (Life 198), PO Box, 3154, Reading, RG1 9AT.

Buy a gift from Amazon

What We Did

Thanks to all of you, we raised over £1000 in donations, as well as hundreds of pounds worth of Amazon gifts and gift cards. Ali and her little boy now have a bed, mattress, bedding, a hoover, lamps, white goods, a wardrobe, cookware and crockery, towels, toy storage, toys and books, curtains, as well as gift cards to help her buy the other things they need.

We also received some beautiful messages of support for Ali, which we are passing along to her. Thank you so much to every single one of you who helped in some way. A special thanks to Lucy Hawkins, Inspired By Joseph , Lesley, Michelle and Stew, Jo and family, and also Beth Dickinson for making a beautiful quilt for Ali’s son.

You’ve given them such a great new beginning, and shown Ali that there are a lot of kind people out there who care about her and her little boy. She wanted me to share this message with you...