My name is Kristina and I am fifteen years old. I live with my mother, my younger sister and brother.

My mother started drinking heavily five years ago soon after father died.

Life became very difficult for us since father died. It got worse during Covid-19.

I had to borrow food from neighbours who could spare a little to share.

One day, I thought, "I will talk with mother. We can't live like this forever."

But mother didn't want to listen to me and she didn't explain anything.

She was about to beat me up but neighbours came quickly and rescued me.

The next morning, I took my little sister and brother to one of our neighbours. Then I went to look for work.

I met up with my friend Maria at the Kona Kiosk, as we had agreed. I returned home with some money and food, but very tired.

Mother asked, "Where did you get the money? Are you working?"

"I will tell you tomorrow, mother."

The next day, a man picked me up from the Kona Kiosk in a big car.

I ironed so many clothes, cleaned his big house and washed the young children.

He dropped me back at the Kona Kiosk in the evening.

I did this for four weeks until I began feeling sick.

Mother was so drunk that she didn't know what was going on.

When neighbours took me to hospital, I tested positive for Covid -19.

Luckily, no one else who had been in contact with me had contracted the virus.

I was taken to a quarantine centre ran by our church.

My mother realised that she needed to take care of us. It was as if she woke up from sleep!