My name is Ciara, and I am trying to rebuild my life after years of homelessness, trauma, and illness. I live with epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and EUPD as a result of severe abuse, rape, and violence.

For the past six years, I’ve slept in cardboard boxes, on buses, trains, and in hostels, surviving on €221 a week. I’ve always tried my best to put my best foot forward — I studied fashion in VTOS, worked in a juice bar, cleaned from 3am to 8am in Wetherspoons, and worked in fashion retail. But I lost jobs due to seizures, and despite my efforts, I keep falling through the cracks.

Art is my lifeline. I’ve waited four years for the chance to exhibit my paintings in Merrion Square in Dublin, but I need help to afford insurance, supplies, and basic essentials.

I’m doing everything I can to move forward, but this time I can’t do it alone. Your support will help me meet my basic needs, continue therapy, buy art materials, and even small things like a ukulele to spark joy and heal. Please help me turn pain into purpose and rebuild a life filled with hope.