Parents who return to charity from strangers on Facebook

Under the financial pressure, people are getting more and more to their local communities, and this could be a bigger problem, says the Public Health Agency.

A woman sits at a kitchen table. — Mira Dearsley says a Facebook group for mothers in Kuopio and strengthened faith in fellows. Image: Antti-Petteri Karhuns / Yle

The number of households struggling to meet It has increased for the third consecutive year, according to the figures in the Finland statistics.

Under financial pressure, people are getting more and more to their local communities.

Such a community is a Facebook group for mothers in the Kuopio area. Kuopio Mother’s support circle (Kuopion äitien Apupiiri)which has been active for over 10 years, has over 3,000 members.

Resident of Kuopio Mira Dearsley She said she received a lot of help when she moved to a new apartment with her children following a divorce. Due to the problems of mold in her previous house, she could not bring most of her goods.

Through the socializing group, Dearsley, a three -year -old mother, was able to provide clothes, toys, vessels and furniture.

From social services, he received an IKEA gift card worth several hundred euros that he used for a table and kitchen chairs.

Mothers arrive at the Facebook group for food, clothes or other financial support. Sometimes they ask for help with babysitting or want to set Playdates for their children.

Heidi mittinen In 2014 he launched the support circle of Kuopio mothers as a form of peer support, following the news of two family crimes in Rautavaar and Kuopio, where mothers took their children’s lives.

“Not everyone has relatives living in the same area, and especially the mothers of young children are often alone,” she explained.

Recently, the requests for help have increased, according to MIttinen.

Researcher: Charity should not replace social network

Johanna PeltoniemiA senior researcher at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), said it is not surprising that people are looking for alternative ways to make the goals fulfill.

“It’s just a man to want to help a neighbor who needs it,” she said.

However, at the same time, she said that social security should not become dependent on the charity of foreigners.

Today Mira Darsley is retired and shares her children’s common custody with her former partner. Discounts to social benefits-such as a 100 euro reduction of his housing allowance have affected her life.

She said that the Facebook group of Kuopio mothers is not only a means of asking and helping, but also an important community.

“I grew up in a period that was more common, but today I don’t even know half of my neighbors,” she explained.

Dearsley said he noticed that the people in the group really want to help any way. Asking for help can often be more difficult than to offer it.

“The person who asks for help may not realize what a minor thing is for the person who offers it,” she added.

More than one in ten children in Finland grow up in poor houses. According to Finland statistics, over 123,000 children lived in poverty in 2023.

Podcast All Points North has explored practical ways to extend your budget and save money in the current economy. Listen to the episode through this incorporated player Yle Areenavia Apple, Spotify Or wherever you receive podcasts.

Standing Frugal in Finland: How to fight the cost of life crisis

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