A few months ago, Ira and Slava, a Ukrainian couple, came to live with a family in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (Val-de-Marne). But over time, their allowance has gone down. A hard blow for the couple, without resources, and a financial burden for the Ile-de-France family.
After 9 months of living together, they are now part of the family. Around the lunch table, Slava and Ira, from Kharkiv.
A sometimes hectic daily life but a balance found between young and old. “We were welcomed here like family. We immediately felt very good, we are really very grateful to them”says Ira Rakhmail, a 63-year-old Ukrainian refugee.
Yet this month, the family budget will be unbalanced. The allowance paid to the Ukrainian couple will increase from 775 euros to 214 euros.
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A Ukrainian family who came to settle in France is now destitute
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©Marion Huguet, Marion David and Valérie Lejeune
A dilemma for Fanny Frévent who is part of the host family: “We are more and more torn financially but besides that, emotional ties have been forged so over time, we don’t want to tell them to go home when they can’t. . But it’s true that we are still a lot alone. We may not even be aware of all the help we could benefit from”.
For Slava Rakhmail, the husband, also 63 years old, “With this reduction in aid, we are like a burden. It’s hard for them, it’s hard for us”.
If they are no longer entitled to their allowance, it is because they have exceeded the 6-month period to find work. Problem: they are retired. The prefecture also considers that they are housed free of charge and therefore no longer need it.
“You have to give them a small 20 euro note so that they can go shopping. For them who are 63 years old, they feel very indebted, very uncomfortable“, adds Fanny Frévent.
For this host family, there is no question of abandoning those they welcomed at the start of the year. A Christmas without aids but with gifts for everyone.
A report by Marion Huguet and Marion David.
