Ms. M.K. – support and safe return home

At the end of March, we were contacted about Ms. M.K., a Slovak woman who is visually impaired and has had recent mental health difficulties. She had arrived in Ireland and, shortly after, found herself completely alone at the airport, confused and without any support.

A member of the public noticed her situation and kindly helped her temporarily. From there, Barka became involved.

When we learned more about her circumstances, it was clear she was extremely vulnerable. We acted straight away to make sure she was safe and not left on her own. We contacted the relevant services, including An Garda Síochána and Slovak support agencies, and started working on a solution.

While arranging longer-term support, we ensured she remained in safe contact with our team.

Through coordination with services in Slovakia, we were able to get in touch with her sister, who confirmed she could take care of her and provide a stable home.

We organised and covered the cost of Ms. M.K.’s return journey to Slovakia. She was met at the airport by her sister and safely reunited with her family.

Ms. M.K. expressed her gratitude for the support she received.

This case shows how important quick action, cooperation between services, and simple human support can be when someone is in crisis.