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Back on our feet: Femke and three children under 5 in Haarlem

A single parent in Haarlem needs help with childcare, groceries and rent while Femke retrains.

🇳🇱 Haarlem, North Holland, Netherlands1,715 views
Femke Mirjam Van Leeuwen
Email verifiedPhoto verified
Haarlem
Last September I went through the death of my husband, and I'm now raising three children under 5 on my own. I work as a cleaner, but my income doesn't cover rent, childcare and groceries. I'm retraining as a pharmacy technician in the evenings, which will triple my income by December, but I need to bridge the gap until then. Some weeks I skip meals so my children can eat. I have never asked anyone for help like this before, and I'm doing it for them. Once I finish my course, I'll pay it forward. Every cent is accounted for. I'll share a simple monthly breakdown. Where the $3,400 goes: • Course fees and exam costs: $520 • Rent top-up: $1,900 • Childcare and after-school care: $980 I'll pay this kindness forward the moment I'm able to.
#single-parent#family#stability

Updates from Femke

  1. Wanted to say thank you properly. 19% funded and we've started the first stage. - Femke

  2. Quick update: $973 raised so far (29%). I met with the landlord and confirmed the amounts. Receipts coming as soon as I have them.

  3. Thank you all. We're at 54% now ($1,838). I'm honestly stunned. we've started the first stage.

Donations

RecentTop gifts
  • Anonymous 🇳🇬 · $250
  • Hiroto Taiga Murakami 🇯🇵 · $250

    “You got this. Saw your post and had to give. - Nagoya”

  • Charles Holland 🇬🇧 · $200
  • Anonymous 🇩🇪 · $200
  • Sipho F W. Lombard 🇿🇦 · $100
  • Landon S. Ferguson 🇺🇸 · $100
  • Mónica L. Cruz 🇲🇽 · $100

    “Thought of Femke all day after reading this. - Iztapalapa”

  • Quỳnh Tuyết Ngo 🇻🇳 · $100

    “Sending love. Please keep us posted. - Nha Trang”

  • Victor Ibrahim Onyeama 🇳🇬 · $100
  • Quang Sơn Quach 🇺🇸 · $75

    “Praying for you. I'm in Scranton, thinking of you. - Scranton”

  • Theodoros Antonios Theodorou 🇬🇷 · $75
  • Can Mustafa Çetin 🇹🇷 · $64.50
  • Marcos E. Luna 🇲🇽 · $57
  • Luca G. Henry 🇬🇧 · $53.50
  • Hari Rajesh Regmi 🇳🇵 · $50

    “All the best. From Biratnagar with love.”

  • Anonymous 🇵🇰 · $50
  • Rowan G. McCoy 🇺🇸 · $49.50
  • Pranjal N. Trivedi 🇮🇳 · $37.50

    “Good luck. Only $38 but hope it helps. - Mysuru”

  • Anonymous 🇪🇬 · $30
  • Yasir Ahmed Fahmy 🇸🇦 · $30

    “Take care of yourselves. Thought of Femke all day after reading this. - Jeddah”

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  • Araceli R. GonzálezQuestionPhoto verified

    Is there a list of costs somewhere? Just curious how it adds up for Femke

    • Femke Mirjam Van LeeuwenOwnerAnswerPhoto verified

      It's all in the list in the story. course fees and exam costs is the big one at $520, I'll post a receipt when it's paid. I'll keep the page updated.

  • Anna Woods

    Hope it all works out, Femke. This could happen to any of us. I went through something like this 3 years ago and strangers helped me out. All the best.

    • Alexei Nikolaev

      sending love, Femke. Your post was clear and honest.

      $2,683 raised of $3,400

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