Maria's Story

When Robin Barratt and his wife first met Maria in Moscow, they had no idea how much of an impact she would have on their own lives. From the initial interest in her story, the horror of discovering her daily struggle to survive through to active involvement in trying to improve her life. Living on the streets and begging is a harsh reality for many in Russia but for those with a disability life can be doubly cruel. Overlooked by the authorities and people who should have helped her, Maria willingly shared her story with the author who, in turn, made a promise, not only to tell the world about her situation, but to try and make a real difference. Maria’s Story documents the true story of one woman’s fight for survival against all the odds and those who tried to help her. It uncovers the truth of how many people continue to live in poverty in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Desperately sad, haunting but frequently uplifting, this book is a tale about overcoming adversity and, above all, never losing hope.