Marie is a sixty-year-old teacher and an active volunteer involved in many social activities. At some point, she decided to dedicate her life to caring for her sick mother, which led her to leave her job and spend all her savings to take care of her mother until she passed away. Recently, due to the economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, her condition deteriorated significantly, and she began to feel that her existence no longer had meaning.

This woman, who used to help young people at the university and participate in many social and cultural activities, decided to stay at home alone, counting her last days. However, she met a friend in the neighborhood at the St. John Center, which encouraged her to come to the kitchen to help. Later, she joined meetings with a group of women, organized by the social worker at the neighborhood center, aimed at enhancing self-care. These meetings allowed her to express her feelings, fears, and the state of despair she was experiencing.

Now, she works in a sewing workshop at St. John Center, where she is always the first to arrive. She always has a smile on her face and is ready to help others. She believes that being at the neighborhood center has revived her desire to live and give.