When people think of poverty, they often picture someone sleeping rough on the streets.

But increasingly in Western Australia, poverty looks like me: a 67-year-old grandmother who once ran a thriving business, owned a home, and raised two sons surrounded by love and opportunity.

WA woman Alison Bellahart once ran a thriving business, but is now struggling to make ends meet.

On the surface, I still present that way. I wear what I call “the mask”. It’s the smile, the gratitude, the effort to appear as though everything is fine. But behind closed doors, poverty is a daily reality.

I never imagined I would be here. In my younger years I was a professional dancer, travelling across Australia and overseas.

Later, I built a dance studio business in regional Victoria, employing staff, teaching students, and contributing to my community. I was strong, vibrant, and financially secure.

Then came the turning points. A devastating medical diagnosis. Repeated surgeries. The end of my marriage. A second marriage that stripped me of assets through........

© WA Today