Strength Through Community

My life as an undocumented migrant became much more difficult after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am a single mother and an orphan. My parents died when I was eight years old, and my grandmother raised me.

“God bless her soul.”

Before my illness, I survived by doing small jobs cleaning homes and helping people where I could. It wasn’t easy, but it allowed me to take care of myself and my daughter.

Everything changed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to start treatment. Working became almost impossible. The treatment was physically and emotionally exhausting, and as a single mother, the situation felt overwhelming.

I have now spent more than a year unable to work.

But during this difficult time, I also discovered the power of community. Some of the people whose homes I used to clean still send me gift cards for food and groceries. Certain organizations have helped pay for my medical bills and the rent for the room where my daughter and I live. My church community has also been there for us.

Their kindness has made a huge difference in our lives.

“If I were not in the Netherlands, I believe I would be dead.”

The treatment I have received has saved my life

Even with this support, many challenges remain. One of the hardest is communication. I speak French, but I do not understand English well, and I do not speak Dutch. This makes everyday life and medical appointments very difficult.

I have lived in the Netherlands for almost eight years, but I still struggle with the language. I would love to go to school and learn it. However, because I am undocumented, I am not allowed to enroll in language classes.

In many ways, this means I remain invisible within the system.

“I am considered undocumented. I don’t exist in the system. I don’t qualify. I have no rights.”