Hello, my name is Jolien. I have had multiple chronic health issues for almost all my life. I often use a wheelchair to be able to go outside but even then spend a lot of time in bed with pain. I am a volunteer at the animal shelter in Mechelen. I have a minimum income/living wage that is spend every month on rent and medical bills and supplies.

I moved in with my partner in 2023. Because I am disabled and my monthly income depends on the person I live with, I made sure that this new information, me living with my partner, reached the authoroties that needed to know. I specifically asked if I had to inform the FOD (governmental department for people that are disabled) and they told me that I didn’t have to contact them because the information will reach them automatically when we went to get our ID’s read and changed. However, a year later I got a letter saying that, the year before, I didn’t inform them that I moved in with my partner and so the money they had giving me monthly, I had to refund them. I was shocked when I got that letter and cried a lot. They are asking for a refund of 8857,51 EUR. Besides that, they also lowered my income a lot which made everything impossible

To me this is really unfair because I gave everyone the information they needed. The government knew we moved in through the readings of our ID’s but claim I had to specifically call them to again, let them know the change in our situation.

The money I get always goes to medical care and therapy or hospitalization. This means that I don’t have the money they are asking back. I feel horrible writing this and having to ask help, but I don’t have the money they are asking.

It has been a year that they have been busy with my case. I had to give them all the medical bills I had that year. I was hospitalized for 2 weeks so it was a really rough year. Looking at my situation, they decided I still have to pay 3543 EUR of the total amount, which is still more money then I can ever pay.

This is where I am asking you for help. The money I will raise here will help me pay the government, money I got to pay my medical care. I already have so little to spend on living instead of surviving, so your help would mean the world to me