Roast corn and water for dinner - Struggling Clarendon family wants to escape extreme poverty

The dirt floor and a dilapidated one-bedroom structure bear testament to the struggles of a family of eight in Lionel Town, Clarendon.

Patriarch of the family, Jerald Dunkley, told THE STAR that his family has been weathering turbulent storms since they started calling the premises home some four months ago. Dunkley, who was previously living in Woodhall in the parish, said the water woes in the northern Clarendon community made life extremely difficult, and, as a farmer, he decided to relocate.

While life in Woodhall was no bed of roses, Dunkley said his living condition has gotten worse, adding that the family struggles daily to find food, and their house is flooded whenever it rains.

"Life terrible here. When rain fall the [house] leaking. We affi move up the bed them, and set pot [to catch the water]. Me would a like a nice little house so me and the youth them can settle down," said Dunkley.

Pointing to a small garden where he plants tomatoes and corn, he said "Me build up me likkle thing here fe survive."

Biggest challenge

His spouse, Natoya Anderson, told THE STAR that finding food is the family's biggest challenge.

"Most night we affi lie down and don't eat anything more than drink some water," said the 39-year-old mother.

"Most a the time a me neighbour give me food, or if anything we roast a corn and eat and drink some water. Nuh matter how small, we pinch it and share it," said Anderson.

She shared too that she is in dire need for a proper house for her children; ages 17, 15, 13, 12, nine and six.

"When rain falling, we affi use broom and a sweep out the water and no bottom is in there, a feeding bag we spread in there," she said.

Virtual learning, which has become necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has compounded the family's worries. The couple's 15-year-old daughter told THE STAR that the single device shared among all siblings gave way a few months ago, forcing them to be out of classes since January.

"We affi take turns, for example: the first hour, me do my schoolwork , then the second hour, she," she said, pointing to her 13-year-old sister.

Leon McNeil, a businessman and philanthropist, has launched a social media campaign geared at assisting the family.

"When I was growing up, it wasn't so good for me. I struggled, my family struggled and we moved from one level to a next. I know persons' pain when they want food and so on, so I decided to just start my charity programme and help persons," said McNeil.

Natoya Anderson may be contacted via telephone at 876 502-3706.