Miriam and Ingeus Spain transcript

Miriam: My name is Miriam Arriaga Onofre. I’m from Ecuador, I’m fifty-seven years old. I work in socio-health care. I have lived in Barcelona for twenty-three years now.

I came to Barcelona because I was an abused woman, so I decided to escape that situation. I brought my children one by one. I felt supported by them, and now I have my family here.

Once I went to my country, by that time I was already separated from my son’s father, I said to him, “do you want to stay in the apartment?” Six months later, when I came back with my son, I found a very big debt.

He had not been paying the apartment and so I had to hand over the apartment with this condition, that they took away my debts and I could stay with a social rent.

They gave me an address and a telephone number of who I had to contact, and when I called, I found a program. They guided me with the procedures I had to do and supported me on the process.

Laura: My main objective as a social worker is to accompany families, we specially work in the field of housing with families who have had economic problems and who have had to give up their apartment.

Miriam: I didn’t feel alone, I didn’t feel frustrated because there are very professional people, and they can help you and guide you.

Laura: It gives me a lot of satisfaction when I see the evolution of each family, when I’m following up their process or maybe I’m going to visit them at home, and they tell me “Laura, I’ve been able to do this process alone” or “thanks to your help I’ve been able to get a market price rent”

Miriam: I think they have helped me to feel fulfilled, they helped me to know where I had to go and what I had to do.