Ori* is a 20 years old woman that lives alone in Be’ersheva, she is unable to work due to her past life traumas. She is well-known by the welfare services and she has been helped multiple times. In the past, she was treated with a medication for a mood disorder. She has been receiving assistance for the past year at Makom Balev.

Ori was born in Holon, her parents had both been married previously.  Her father was violent from the beginning, and at the age of six she already had trouble getting along with the family, so she was sent to a religious boarding school. From age eight to eleven she lived with a foster family and from age eleven until fifteen, she lived in a dormitory. At age fifteen, she returned back home but she couldn’t get along with her family, so her parents threw her out. Alone and scared she ended up in the street and began to trust the wrong men who took advantage of her, harassing her and being violent. When she was sixteen, she moved to Beersheba to start a new life and began working at odd jobs. When she turned eighteen, she received military service exception. 

Ori has been accompanied and supported by a social work student at the centre that tried to help her receive psychiatric support, but this process turned out to be unsuccessful. Since August 2021, Ori has been in touch with the welfare services, and her relationship with Makom Balev improved. Ori began to ask for help and was very motivated to take part in conversations with specialists. Today Ori is doing everything in her power to change her behaviour, and to not to fall back into her old path. She’d like to find a stable job, but this is a very big challenge for her. In the future she will receive more psychological support and also become eligible for a disability pension. Life for Ori continues to be filled with challenges, and a few months ago, Ori had a dispute with her real estate agent after being unable to pay her rent on time. Her electricity and gas were cut off, and she reacted verbally aggressively. After this unfortunate event the agent filed a complaint with the police and the case will be brought to court in 2022. Ori will be supported by Makom Balev staff throughout the process, and will also receive free legal help. 

The Peter and Janet Roberts donations will assist Ori and young women like her to purchase:

• Electrical appliances such as a heater, electrical kettle and a cooking element

• Bedding

• With food purchase on monthly basis 

• Winter clothing