Desperate mother of three seeks assistance

As THE STAR team spoke with Shanique Brown in the tenement yard in which she resides on Georges Lane, Kingston, her eldest child tugged on her hand and told her he was hungry.

The seven-year-old asked for cornflakes that Brown had tucked away for him and his siblings, and her eyes instantly appeared sad. She looked the youngster in the eye and gently told him that she understood he may be hungry but he had to wait a bit longer as it would be served at dinnertime. The child then slowly walked over to his siblings and began playing. Brown, 29, is in dire need of assistance and is reaching out to the public. She wants to restart the small business that she once operated from a stall.

"Life never so rough until mi start have baby. The first two children father was very good, but about four years ago he was coming from work and gunman kill him," she said. His death led to her having to relocate from Foster Lane with her children and heading back to Rum Lane from which she hails. But Brown said she struggled to make ends meet after relocating. Shortly after, she met the father of her now two-year-old son but that relationship was short-lived. She said her pregnancy was rough and that she even went into a coma shortly after giving birth via C-section.

"Mi did really overweight and mi pressure was high. Mi get a heart attack after mi have baby and mi go in a coma for close to a month. Both mi parents dead so it was a lady name Miss June who took care of the baby and mi. Mi babyfather was there with mi a little but it look like him couldn't deal with the sickness so him never stick around. When mi come out, a Pampers mi a wear and it was Miss June straight with mi but she recently died," Brown said.

Brown currently resides in a rented, broken down one-room structure. The room only contains a bed which she says is not strong enough to support her weight. So she uses a sponge for her mattress.

"When mi hungry mi go up a Poor Relief and mi nah go tell any lie, a nuff time mi on the road go beg fi di kids dem. Mi beg just fi make dem go school because mi want dem come out better than mi," she said. "Last year mi kids dem stop 'bout a month from school and the teacher a tell mi say she never like it and mi understand because mi nuh like it either. But yuh dun know mi nuh want to pour out mi problem to teacher. Right now a one uniform each a dem have."

Brown said that sometimes when her children ask for food that she doesn't have, she feels at her worst.

"Sometimes mi feel like mi would kill mi self but mi still know mi have to be strong fi mi three children dem because a mi alone. From the first time mi pregnant mi apply to PATH but dem yet to check the place. One time mi go and dem give mi some rice," Brown added.

As the tears welled up, Brown said she longs for a better life for herself and her family and pleaded with persons not to judge her.

"People will see mi and dem a road and think we have it but mi can't manage. Mi just make most of the little clothes mi get from poor relief and mi ensure say dem always clean. Mi a beg people not to look down on mi and judge mi when dem see mi a beg but mi don't want to have five and six children. So mi nah go turn to any man fi help. I almost died the last time and mi want to live for mi children," Brown said.

Persons wishing to assist Shanique Brown and her children may contact her at 876-323-0527.