Clarendon fire victim now has place to call home

On August 21, 53-year-old Audrey Ranger's house and belongings were destroyed by a fire that left her three children without a place to rest their heads. Just when it seemed that all hope was lost, her fortunes were changed for the better through the gifting of a new home by the Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Foundation and Food For The Poor Jamaica (FFPJ).

Ranger was delighted to welcome the team from both organisations as they visited Hayes, Clarendon, last week to prepare the land and construct her new home.

"My living conditions were pretty stable for the most part. I supported myself and my three children. We still didn't have much, but it was much better. During the fire, I lost everything: all the goods I planned to sell, my personal belongings, and my children's belongings, including their work equipment and new school supplies. So, I cannot be more grateful for this great support from FFPJ and D&G."

Ranger made ends meet by selling clothes, cosmetics and haircare products. She also designed, constructed and sold cushions and pillows. However, the fire destroyed her sewing machine, leaving her without a source of income. Her sister jumped in to offer her a place to stay and whatever financial assistance she could muster. Ranger then began to rely on her eldest son, Dillion, to support the family as best as he could.

To make matters even worse, Ranger faced several difficulties in acquiring the land title to rebuild her home.

"My mother and my stepfather owned the land I previously occupied, so I needed permission from all the children to use the land. It was tough getting in contact with everyone because some died, and some couldn't be reached overseas, so that didn't work out. My sister then encouraged me to use a piece of land close to her that she was also occupying, which belonged to my mom and my dad. Everyone responsible then signed off on me using that area."

Having lost her goods in the fire, Ranger is now unemployed, but motivated to find a suitable job to restart her entrepreneurial business . She is eager to be in a better position to support her children and is grateful for the head start on that journey, owing to the generosity of both charities and her relatives.

"I'm now looking to make some beds, so we can move before the end of the year. Come next year, I want to find a good job to help make ends meet. I don't have one particular job in mind because I believe in honest work, and every honest job is good. As I look to improve, I want to thank FFPJ and D&G Foundation for making such a big difference in our lives, because we now have somewhere to call home."