My name is Victoria Maruhina (Hincu), and this is my story—a journey of resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to creating change. It is a story that has shaped my vision for the Victoria Maruhina Social Club, a movement dedicated to addressing homelessness, corruption, and inefficiencies within support systems.
A Life Shaped by Struggles and Strength
At the age of 24, I made the bold decision to migrate to Ireland with my family. I found myself as a single mother of two young children—a new born and a toddler. As the sole provider for my family I worked tirelessly to build a new life in a foreign country.
I have been living in Ireland for 25 years and am an Irish citizen. Like many who once immigrated from their homeland and found their Home somewhere else, I have grown to embrace Ireland as my new home—a country I am proud to call: Home.
In Ireland, I balanced my professional pursuits with the challenges of raising my children alone. I worked as a freelance interpreter specialising in immigration, asylum seekers and refugees. Eventually, I opened my own agency and launched a business importing Moldovan wines and spirits under my brand, V&P, Irish Line ( stands for VIP Irish Line Drinks - meaning high quality), rebranded later to Vittora, inspired by my family’s winemaking traditions.
Despite these achievements, the road was anything but easy. I faced bullying in business, cultural isolation, and the heavy burden of being completely alone in a foreign land. Yet, I kept my head high, determined to succeed. While others of my age were going to discos and bars, I was between work and being with my kids.
To cope with life’s challenges, I turned to my passions—aromatherapy, herbalism, and handcrafted cosmetics through Toria. What began as a hobby brought joy to others, and I hoped to transform it into a business. Unfortunately, the pandemic and financial challenges brought my progress to a halt.
The Unthinkable: Becoming Homeless
Life took a devastating turn when I became homeless for the first time in my life. Unable to secure assistance from the State, I was forced to leave my rented house, and for four months during coldest time of the year, I lived in my car with my two loyal dogs, Charlie and Bella.
The Gardaí from Lucan, Dublin often watched over us, offering a semblance of safety. Eventually, I found temporary accommodation in the North that accepted dogs, I was constantly sick, having bilateral pneumonia and killing my system as a result of my "car-life". When I sought to return to Dublin for better opportunities, I faced insurmountable challenges in finding a home that would allow me to keep my dogs. These faithful companions, who I have since they were 5 weeks old and now 9 and 10 years old, have been my source of strength through every hardship. They are family. Pet owners will understand why I couldn’t part with them, even if it would have made my situation easier to resolve.
Finally, I found a room in Dublin, but my hope turned to despair when I unknowingly ended up sharing a house with the wrong people. After an unlawful physical eviction - I became homeless once again, living in my car for the past five months without any support from the State Departments or organisations that suppose to provide assistance while going through this hardship.
The Flaws in the System
This journey exposed the inefficiencies, corruption, and favouritism within Ireland’s support systems. As a registered homeless individual, I received no meaningful assistance. I am being totally ignored. Bureaucratic hurdles, compounded by the judgmental attitudes of those tasked with helping the vulnerable, made it nearly impossible to find a way forward.
Homelessness is more than the absence of a home; it is a profoundly emotional and psychological experience. The stereotypes surrounding homelessness often overshadow the diverse realities people face. Contrary to these assumptions, I do not smoke, use drugs, or drink. I am a very health-conscious and well-informed person; I never use anything that could harm me, either externally or internally. My struggles are not tied to addiction but to systemic failings that can affect anyone.
After all my experiences with homelessness in Ireland, I have concluded that the growing homelessness problem is not solely due to "the housing crisis we have." The core issue lies in the human factor—a problem that no one seems to talk about. Perhaps the Irish are afraid, considering those who make decisions on their cases to be akin to gods. Foreigners, meanwhile, are seeing themselves as foreigners (not to be mistaken with immigrants who have arrived recently).
I understand this perspective, I understand the atmosphere in Ireland but I see things differently. I believe in God—the one true God—but He does not walk the Earth, at least not at present. And as for me, I have nothing left to lose.
A Vision for Change: The Victoria Maruhina Social Club
My experiences inspired me to create the Victoria Maruhina Social Club, a movement to address homelessness at its roots and stay away from the "who knows who" attitude. The cornerstone of this initiative is the All-in-One Hub, a centralised service platform that will provide support with housing needs, social welfare support and legal aid—all under one roof. This model eliminates fragmented bureaucracy and focuses on compassion, efficiency and equal treatment for all.
The Social Club will also serve as a networking space for individuals and businesses dedicated to creating social changes, fostering collaboration to amplify its impact.
A Movement for Ireland and Beyond
The Victoria Maruhina Social Club is more than a personal endeavour at this stage; it is a Global Movement. My goal is to build a team of compassionate professionals free from favouritism and judgment, empowering individuals to regain their independence and dignity. Not everyone has siblings working in high places or siblings at all but everyone needs support.
As a non-profit organisation, the Social Club will be mainly self-funded through multiple revenue streams, ensuring sustainability. I am currently seeking a Board of Directors ( professionals in the fields of Homelessness, Housing, Social Welfare Support, Human Rights, Marketing, Legal, etc) to help lay the foundation for this initiative and create a community that supports both people and pets in distress.
Join the Movement
This is not just my story—it is a Call-to-Action. Homelessness, corruption, and inefficiency, professional negligence are not insurmountable challenges. With the right people and the right approach, we can create meaningful changes. It is time for it.
If my story resonates with you, I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn or by email: info@victoriamaruhina.com, or WhatsApp +353 83 439 2609 and join this movement. I also call on politicians to participate in this movement, recognising the need for systemic change and compassionate support for individuals and their families—pets included—who are facing hardship.
Together, we can build a future where everyone has the support they need to thrive.
I am building this while sleeping between my car with two dogs and sofa surfing. All the work done with NFTs, VMT coin, website, social pages, posts, designs, books, etc is done solely by myself, in my own and it is copyrighted, including the idea of VMSC, All-in-One Hub.
Warm regards,
Victoria Maruhina (Hincu)
(Returning to my maiden name to help people adjust)
