A place of her own

Hi. I'm writing anonymously, because it's still hard for me to talk about this.

I'm an ordinary woman from Kazakhstan. I was married, I had a child. And honestly — I never thought I'd end up in a situation like this.

In the beginning, my husband was different. Caring, attentive, he carried me in his arms. I was sure he was my person.

But after our child was born, everything changed.

He started drinking. He became irritable, angry. Then the shouting began. Then the blows.

He gave me no money. I sat at home with the child, completely dependent on him. This was no longer the man I had married.

At some point I understood that if I didn't leave, he would simply break me. And maybe kill me.

I left with my child. No money. No plan. I was on maternity leave. No job. No education.

The money ran out very fast. I started borrowing. Then borrowing again. And I simply couldn't see a way out.

Going back to my parents wasn't an option. They told me plainly: “You made your choice — now live with it.”

I was left alone. With a child, debts, and no idea what to do next.

I looked for any option I could, and at some point I came across ConnectSurrogate+. And it felt like it might be a chance.

But I didn't rush in. I read a lot, checked, asked questions. Because I understood: if something happened to me, there'd be no one left to answer for my child. I'm on my own.

And only after that did I decide to write. And do you know what surprised me most? For the first time in a long while, someone simply spoke to me like a human being.

No one rushed me. No one pressured me. No one judged me. They calmly explained everything, answered my questions, supported me. And I decided to go for it.

Now I understand it was the best decision of my life. I completed the program. I paid off my debts. I bought myself a small house — my own.

I have a roof over my head. My child has stability. And most importantly — I wasn't left alone. I stayed on, as part of the ConnectSurrogate+ team. I now work remotely and can be there for my child.

I have a calm life. Without fear.

And I know one thing for certain: a woman is a shelter for another woman. And these aren't just words. I lived it. ❤️‍🩹