Massive fire a major setback for mother of four

Already trying to cope with the devastating loss of her house which was razed in the Mexico community of, Gregory Park, St Catherine on July 30, Janelle Grant is finding it hard to provide the basic needs for her four children.

The children, ages nine, six, three and one, are lacking the fundamental things to survive, causing their 24-year-old mother to cry out for help.

"The fire left me completely helpless. I'm staying with my mom, but it is a one room with my two sisters. Before the fire, I already had it hard because only the father of the one-year-old helps. I had just reached two weeks at a new job as a shopkeeper and things looked promising, but this was a major step back. We have no food, no clothes and nowhere fi really sleep, because some of us have to be sleeping on the floor," Grant said. Grant's home was destroyed when armed men set fire to dwellings in the area.

Grant's eldest daughter attends a Corporate Area primary school, and her six-year-old brother was set to join her in his first term next month. This doesn't seem possible since Grant now has to take a break from work because she has neither clothes nor money for transport.

"I don't know how they going to school September because everything got destroyed. I have no birth certificate nor no immunisation card for them. Same thing for me, no identification card, NIS [National Insurance Scheme], TRN [Taxpayer Registration Number], nothing. Everything is burned," said Grant. She explained that she has not been in contact with two of her babyfathers and doesn't know where they are, while the eldest child's dad died nearly 10 years ago.

"Emotionally, it's very hard, even before the incident. Sometimes them go days without food and mi haffi ask mi mother-in-law, but then it becomes a pressure when mi see say mi haffi beg people fi them get something fi eat. So mi did just stop ask. Dem haffi do without when mi nuh have it, that's why mi start working again so mi coulda provide fi them. Starting from scratch when mi a try stand up [is] overwhelming," a discouraged Grant said.

Despite her mother's willingness to assist in any capacity, Grant said that she has been battling kidney issues for more than a month and is also unable to go to work. Consequently, the duty of looking after her mother and two sisters, ages 16 and 10, has also fallen upon Grant.

"Mi tired. Mi nah sleep, the kids nah sleep because them a frighten out a dem sleep. Mi a ask fi help in any way please. Naturally, mi want live somewhere, but right now we need food and clothes," Grant said.

Persons wishing to assist Janelle Grant, may contact her at 876-573-1856.