Carola's problems began with an unstable home situation and a relationship full of tension. “I moved in with a friend, but when I could no longer stay there, I found myself on the street. Going back to my parents was not an option.” The road from couch to couch, from friend to acquaintance, began. Meanwhile, she had to survive, often with a job that did not offer enough security. During this period, she also became an addict - a tragic constant for many struggling with homelessness.
She knocked on the door of the municipality but did not feel heard. “You are sent from pillar to post. There is no fixed place for you. Your debts are your own responsibility, you are told.” The complexity of red tape, coupled with the stigma of her situation, only made things more difficult. “You walk with your soul under your arm.”
Carola met her current partner when she was already at the bottom of her existence. They tried to climb out of the valley together, but the road was long. They were evicted from several shelters. “At one point I was really literally on the street with my dogs. You feel like the world is passing you by.”
Carola says she often felt like a “nobody. “People walk past you, don't look at you. That hurts more than sleeping outside.” She describes spending nights on the streets with her dogs, which she also eventually had to give up in order to get help. “I couldn't do anything else. They needed warmth and security that I couldn't provide.”
Eventually, partly because of her pregnancy, Carola found help at a shelter organization. She and her partner were given temporary housing. Still, it was not the ultimate solution. The shelter systems are complicated, the rules harsh, and the road to independence remains tough. “We fought extremely hard. But we are still together, and that makes us stronger.”
Now Carola works as an experiencer and volunteer with organizations that support people in similar situations. She uses her story to improve the system and view of homelessness. “Experience is knowledge. Many professionals don't understand what it really means to be homeless.”
Carola's message is clear: “Homelessness can happen to anyone. It is not just a matter of choices, but of circumstances. As a society, we need to look out for each other more, without judgment. A human approach is crucial.” Through Carola's story, the harsh reality of homelessness comes to life. It shows that the right help is not just a roof over your head, but a listening ear, understanding, and the chance to get back on your feet.
