In January 2024, our 13-year-old daughter, Helena (Heli), took her own life. Losing her has been an unimaginable heartbreak.
Heli often asked: “Where is all this pressure coming from?” She deeply felt the weight of stress, competition, and unkindness in school. She dreamed of a world where children were valued, supported, and free to be themselves.
Her story is not unique. Research shows that children’s risk of suicide increases when they are at school and decreases during the summer holidays.
This crisis cannot be ignored. School should be a place where every child feels safe, seen, and supported.
That’s why we started Kindwaves – a movement to transform school cultures through kindness.