Good afternoon.

I am Ivita Kļaviņa who is raising nine children: four children of my own (Ieva, 21, Inese, 19, Janis, 17, Ilze, 13) and five foster children. Sisters Keita (3 years old) and Rebecca (1 year old) came into the family last autumn: Keita was left unattended and Rebecca was abandoned at the maternity hospital. Three of the five foster children have serious health issues - Nick (age 15) and Marina (age 13) have developmental disabilities, and Ancite (age 4) has a particularly difficult history.

Taking children from the orphanage who need special care and attention into their friendly family was a conscious decision. It is impossible to describe what happened to Ancite before she entered the orphanage without empathy. When the baby was examined by doctors and I received the commission's report, I could not hold back my tears. The doctors found multiple fractures, haematomas, a cracked skull, brain damage and a number of other serious diagnoses. The cause of it all was abuse. At 6 months old when we took Ancite into the family, doctors said she would not be able to hold her head up, sit up, see, and she was fed through a feeding tube. When Ancite was born, she was completely healthy.

What's our story? We live in my parents' house, far away from the capital. The house is spacious, seven rooms, but very old and in constant need of repair. Nick was the first child we took into care. We took special courses for adoptive families at the Latvian Association of Adoptive Families and received the status of a family that allows us to adopt children with developmental disabilities. My husband and I both came from large families. Our house is simple, but very spacious. Children are the meaning of our life. And we thought that our love would be enough for one more baby that life didn't give a chance to. Nick had developmental problems as a child, but care, family warmth and systematic rehabilitation have yielded results - now he is studying in the 9th grade of a regular school. This is a huge achievement. Marina was taken into a family when she was already 8 years old, and this is the third family where she lives. Marina has autism spectrum disorders and moderate mental retardation, but she is a very sweet and kind-hearted girl.

I love all my children equally much. They are all very well behaved, not spoilt, responsible and active. The children study at a music school (they play the piano, flute, guitar and accordion), attend dance classes, choir, art studio, participate and win in school Olympiads.

Then divorce shook me and my children - I was left alone with six children. But it did not break me. I never dreamed that one day I could be happy as a woman... After a while, a reliable friend and support - Aivars, who was not afraid of six children, appeared next to me. Helping in everyday life, our friendship grew into warm feelings and a new family was formed.

Four years ago we informed the children that we were expecting a baby - our mutual son. But the pregnancy was terminated at 7 months.... It was a hard hit for me... At that time I learnt that plecs.lv organisation had a four-month-old girl who was looking for a foster family. A family council was gathered and after discussing all pros and cons it was decided that it was not a coincidence. When I arrived at the orphanage and took the little girl in my arms, I realised that I could not give her to anyone. That's how the seventh child came into the family.

I am a medical professional by education, I worked as a nurse in a doctor's practice and later as a paramedic in a countryside dispensary.

I believed that thanks to my medical experience I would be able to cure and ‘get out’ my little daughter.(At that time my second daughter Inese was born prematurely, and despite the negative prognoses of doctors, she recovered!). Together we are all making incredible efforts to improve the quality of life of Ancite.Thanks to the funds raised by the BeOpen Charitable Foundation, Ancite has undergone stem cell transplantation five times in Poland and once in Slovakia. She has undergone rehabilitation courses both in Latvia and in Slovakia, at the Adeli Centre.Now the girl already reacts to others, smiles, is able to recognise her relatives, moves her arms and legs more actively. The main thing is that after stem cell therapy Anzite can distinguish between darkness and light (a year ago an ophthalmologist confirmed that the girl was blind because of her injuries...).It hurts to the core that the girl will not be able to achieve the successes and life content that every mum wishes for her daughter, and will always need care.

I am very worried when I hear talk about receiving a lot of money in the form of child allowances. Of course, it would be impossible to survive without government support, but this money is only enough for the basic needs. And not even always. Clothes, shoes, telephones, internet, fuel... The Association for Palliative Care for Children helps to provide specialised food for Ancite. And every day we have to cook a hot meal for eleven people. Food costs the most money. We also have to spend money on gifts for birthdays. We try to organise celebrations for each child.

My dream is to give my all children the opportunity for sunny holidays, energy recharge and emotional rehabilitation. But I know it is not possible... But I know that my children would accept such an opportunity with the greatest gratitude.

Respectfully,

Ivita Kļaviņa

*The donation fee includes:

Airline tickets to Cyprus

Programme for 10 days

Petrol and 2 car expenses

Additional hotel accommodation

Meals

Excursions

Entertainment