Dulce’s story 

Hi, my name is Dulce. I am originally from Portugal. Just over a year ago, I was sleeping rough on the streets. It was an awful and terrifying time for me. I remember many times fearing for my own safety. There were many nights when I would have to hide from people. I was ashamed to show my face at the time. I was so scared that I had to sleep in the bushes in parks to hide. So many people would judge me, call me names and shout horrible things at me.

Luckily, I moved into Caritas Anchor House soon after this terrible experience on the streets. I remember relief as I stepped into my room, as I knew that I would be safe that evening. I have now started to notice myself smile which hadn’t happened in so long. It’s amazing what can happen if you are in a safe and positive place surrounded by smiley faces.

Here at Caritas Anchor House, I’ve always got someone to speak to when I am feeling down. My keyworker Tristan is a wonderful person. Whenever I am unsure what to do, he is there to guide me and point me in the right direction. The people here have helped me so much.

I am incredibly grateful, as I was recently given a laptop. This new laptop is so valuable to me as I now can book my appointments online by myself. Without this I feel like I am off the grid and waiting forever on the phone or in queues. Not only does make my life so much easier, it will be key for me when I move out of here.

To keep myself busy, I do a lot of art and crafts. My hobby is cross-stitching. It helps me forget my stress, and I love the feeling when I finish something. I would love to start my own arts and craft classes to give something back to this organisation and help those that have experienced homelessness like myself.

I’ll be honest. Sometimes I still feel depressed, but now when I feel down I know I can go to my balcony outside my room, and I don’t have to hide in dangerous parks anymore. I still get nightmares and flashback to my experience on the streets, but they are starting to become less frequent. I am taking things slowly, but one step at a time I am getting better and feeling more positive. I have been given everything I need here at Caritas Anchor House, now I finally feel like I am in control.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Social Box for donating the laptop to Dulce. It is donations like these which really help Caritas Anchor House residents like Dulce prepare for independent living after moving out.