‘I wanted a different life for my children’: What poverty in WA looks like when you are trying to rebuild

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Almost 10 years ago, I fled regional Western Australia and an abusive relationship, taking my children with me and carrying little more than a bag of clothes each.

I had no savings, no car and no certainty about our future. But I knew one thing: I wanted a different life for my children.

When I arrived in Perth, I was scared. I didn’t know how I would survive, but I knew I had to keep going. I just kept hoping and praying that our life would be better than what it was.

When you’re starting again with very little, having the basics in place can make all the difference.

Poverty isn’t just about not having money. It’s about not having the foundations that allow you to feel safe, recover and build a future.

For me, one of the biggest foundations was a safe home. I first found a private rental and eventually accessed social housing, close to shops and my children’s school. Having somewhere stable gave us the security we needed to start........

© WA Today