La Maison de Marthe et Marie is an association founded by a midwife who was disheartened to see mothers coming to give birth only to leave three days later with their newborns and end up on the streets. She identified a material need for a place to sleep and eat, as well as the need to be surrounded by caring individuals during this sometimes difficult period, especially when one is isolated and in precarious situations.
In these houses, pregnant women and young mothers interact with volunteers who live together, forming friendships and experiencing communal living.
Each woman is supported according to her individual needs. The association places great importance on ensuring that young women are aware of their rights and works with them on administrative issues, assists them in their search for housing for the future, and helps them find childcare once they have secured or resumed employment, as well as providing psychological support and professional integration, which is a key element in preparing for the future.
Women are welcomed until their baby’s first birthday, with outings planned from the moment they arrive at the house.
“What is very powerful are the friendships that are formed, in what is both the most basic and the most precious,” says Amélie Merle. “We see women arriving with life stories that have truly brought them down, and what we observe is that with time, attention, and by trusting them, telling them they are the best mother for this baby, well, that loving gaze allows them to regain confidence in themselves and in others, and that is an incredible foundation for being a balanced woman, a powerful woman, and it truly changes lives.”
