
Gerard had so many financial problems that he fell into a deep depression. A friend told him about Amaryllis. At Amaryllis, he received good help from his contact person. She referred him to the Budget Management department at the Kredietbank. This allowed him to start paying off his debts. Life feels a lot easier now.
Gerard used to be a carpenter. He had been doing that since he was seventeen. “The hard work took its toll on my body. I eventually suffered a serious injury to my shoulder and was unable to work.”
Since Gerard had no income, he used his savings to pay for his groceries and bills. He had previously tried to apply for benefits, but found this very complicated. Moreover, there was also a lot of time between the last time Gerard worked and the moment of the application. This made it seem as if he had been working illegally in the meantime. “That was absolutely not true. I understood the confusion, but I thought: never mind, I’ll manage on my own. That’s what I was used to.”

When Gerard had used up all of his savings, he started selling his possessions. Every time he sold something, he was able to get by for a while. “I even sold my late mother’s gold jewelry. I deeply regret that. However, you’ll do anything to survive in that situation.”
That feeling gave way to depression and Gerard started drinking more and more. The stress became so overwhelming that he even thought about suicide at the worst moment. The bills kept piling up. This resulted in the threat of eviction. “By then it was actually already too late. I had to seek help.”
One day, a friend discovered his overflowing mailbox. When that friend shared his concerns with his girlfriend, she told him about Amaryllis. That was the moment I really sought help. I felt ashamed, because that wasn’t for me.
“I don’t know where I would be without Amaryllis’ help,” he says. “I was helped so well. I also took the ‘Dealing with money’ training course there. I saw that some people had it even harder than me and had also gotten through it. This gave me confidence that I could do this too.”
“I feel like doing things again and have more energy.”

Gerard, 78 jaar
His contact person from Amaryllis put Gerard in touch with Budget Management at the Kredietbank. This allowed him to pay off his debts. “I now live on € 60 a week and that’s going quite well. Every step towards a debt-free life feels lighter. I have learned to keep track of my mail and finances and, most importantly, to ask for help when I need it. I now get a lot of enjoyment out of life, and out of my vegetable garden. Being outside and working with my hands gives me peace.”
His advice for others? “Stay positive and keep track of your finances. That will make your life a lot better. Seeking help has given me energy and confidence in life again. Amaryllis is an institution that can really help you. I am very happy with what they have done for me!”
*This story is narrated by an actor and is inspired by true real-life stories. The names of the individuals are known to the Municipality of Leeuwarden.”
**Are you thinking about suicide? Call 113 or 0800-0113 or chat via www.113.nl
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