Ivana (4) and Ivan (2) celebrate Christmas without toys, electricity, or a bathroom. Their “home” is a house bought for 1,000 €!

“We barely managed to gather enough for the house; it cost 1,000 € ,” said Marijana, the mother of six children, with a trembling voice, pointing to the building, which hardly anyone would consider livable, let alone desirable.

“How did these children live before?” one might wonder.

“On top of each other,” we thought as we stepped onto the threshold of the dilapidated house belonging to the Šamanc family from Uzdin near Kovačica. We were greeted by children whose eyes, filled with sorrow, shyly glanced at something completely unusual for them – visitors.

The story of the same name by author Jean-Philippe Arrou-Vignod speaks of the adventures of a family with six boys, all named Jean. Similarly, the Šamanc family gave their children similar names: Ivana (2), Ivana (4), Dunja (5), Daniela (9), Nikola (10), and Nina (12).

Unfortunately, their story is far from a fairytale. The life journey of these children is a daily struggle for survival and bears no resemblance to the adventures described in children’s books. These children have spent seven years growing up in two small rooms without electricity or water.

“We all sleep in three beds. We don’t have toys, so we play with mud,” said five-year-old Dunja, who doesn’t even have the option to watch cartoons.

The eldest, Nina, entering adolescence, said that the hardest part is not having a bathroom and having to bathe in a basin—not for herself but for her younger sisters, who confide in her their discomfort, leaving her feeling terrible. She shared that they often lay together, dreaming and wishing. It’s also difficult for her to share a room with everyone else, as she feels too grown up to sleep in the same bed as her parents.

“The ceiling even fell on Nina; that’s the hole up there. We live in constant fear. I wanted to have a job, a better life, and for everything to be different, but it wasn’t meant to be. My mother passed away when I was little, and my father was abusive. I had a cruel childhood, and it pains me deeply that my children are growing up in such horrible conditions,” continued Marijana.

What surprised us in today’s age is that they don’t even own a smartphone. For them, it’s a luxury. They charge two “old-fashioned” phones at neighbors’ houses or whenever they manage to secure electricity, which they lack due to significant debt. You can only imagine how amazed the children were when we showed up with the latest phones and a camera.

“There are many tough days when there’s not even enough for bread. We don’t even have enough chairs—only one, so someone has to stand while eating. But we fight for the children; they are everything to us. I’ve never wanted to go to cafes or buy anything for myself. I just want them to be happy. My husband, Ivica, tends cows and works in the barn whenever there’s work, so we can scrape together some money besides social welfare and child benefits,” Marijana added, whose care and attention to her children are evident in their upbringing and cleanliness.

When we asked nine-year-old Daniela if she had a favorite celebrity, her innocent answer was, “My friend.” At first, we were confused, but then we realized that what we were asking about was a world far removed from hers. It was only logical for her to name the only “celebrity” she knows—her friend.

The Charity Organization Serbs for Serbs is launching a significant aid campaign for the Šamanc family, hoping that, with the help of our donors, we can bring joy to these six wonderful children with a new home!

Maybe, after our help, Ivana, Ivan, Dunja, Daniela, Nikola, or Nina will see life as a colorful and beautiful place, much like the works of the famous painter from nearby Kovačica, Zuzana Halupova—full of color and joy. Maybe they, like Zuzana and many other protagonists of Kovačica naïve art, will amaze the world with their talents.

Help us replace the sadness on their faces with smiles that stretch from ear to ear!

Source: Naïve art Kovacica

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