Sonia grew up in a small town. His family—his father, Ivan; his mother, María; and his younger brother, Alexey—lived in a constant struggle for survival.

Ivan, with his calloused hands, repaired the neighbors’ sheds or helped on the farms when they needed it. Maria sewed at night, bent over an old sewing machine in the dim light of a lamp. But there was hardly any money for bread, potatoes and meat on holidays.

Sonia, the eldest, knew from a young age what hunger was. He was sixteen when he first refused dinner, lying that he wasn’t hungry, so that Alexey, thin and always cold, could finish his ration. He sat at night by the window, gazing at the dark silhouettes of the trees and dreaming of the day when his family would stop counting pennies.

Work in the village was scarce; young people went to the city and those who stayed clung to any opportunity to feed themselves. Sonia and Alexey also tried to find something, but their efforts were thwarted by the indifference of the world. Iván often repeated: “We will move forward, the important thing is to stay united.”

But Sonia saw how her back was more and more bent with each passing year, and her mother’s gaze became more and more tired. He knew that if nothing changed, his life would continue to be a vicious cycle of poverty. Despite poverty, Ivan and Mary believed in the power of knowledge.

“Study, children,” they said, “this is your ticket to another life.” Sonia clung to these words like a lifeline. She was a diligent student, and her efforts paid off.

The school helped him get a free place at the university and a scholarship. When she left for the city, Sonia felt for the first time that she had an opportunity. College became a new world for her: classes, books, noisy hallways.

He studied to be an economist, dreaming of one day opening his own business and getting his family out of debt. But the reality turned out to be cruel. After graduating, all the good jobs in the city were already taken; contacts and money mattered more than a diploma.

Sonia returned home with a suitcase and broken hopes, and got a job as a cashier in a store…