A community bats for needy mother, appeals for more help

ALTHEA BRYAN of Palmer’s Cross, Clarendon, has been living in squalor as she struggles to take care of her children ages 16, 14, 11 and seven.

Her humble abode is a zinc structure with dirt flooring, furnished with the basic necessities.

With one of the fathers missing in action and the other not having much to contribute, it has been taxing on the one resource she has – the monthly contributions she receives from the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education.

She said it is not easy as she does not feel safe.

Bryan, who built the structure on the land given to her by her sister some 21 years ago, said financially she is unable to take care of herself as well as her children.

A diabetic, she sometimes suffers ill-health, and with no support, she would dearly love to find something to do so she can help herself.

As for schooling, she said it has got even harder as they need gadgets. The only bright spot is that the school sometimes arrange for the work to be sent to the students.

“My challenge is that I am not able to work, [and I] don’t have any family members I can leave the children with. I’m not a person who want to give up in life, as I’m the only one they have. Most times, I feel as if I would want to lay down arms as I just cannot manage,” she shared with The Gleaner, as she reminds herself that her children are a blessing from God.

Things changed for her when one of her sons, who was in grade four at the time at Cross Primary and Infant School, was in class on the Zoom platform and his teacher saw the background.

She instructed him to turn off the camera and soon voiced her concern to the principal, Tanisha Raymond.

Raymond, who reached out to The Gleaner, said after visiting Bryan and seeing the way she was living, she was so moved, she had to cry.

She said she realised they had to act right away to get help for the family as they were living in such a terrible condition.

Still, she said it spoke volumes on the kind of mother Bryan is, as the children always looked clean and they maintained good grades.

After seeking assistance from political reps, with none forthcoming, she said she turned to a friend overseas, who sent her some money to start the process. She later enlisted Keith Bulgin, pastor of the Palmer’s Cross New Testament Church, who turned to Overseas Ministry Partner Vanessa Fairweather, who in turn along with her congregation after seeing the photos of Bryan’s living condition, decided to champion the cause.

Having secured blocks, steel and other building materials, they are now ready to begin construction of a better living accommodation for Bryan.

However, he said it is the hope that they can secure more funding or more building materials to finish the project.

“We felt that our mission is not just in the traditional walls of the church, it goes beyond; and we saw that there was a need to assist,” he shared.

For Raymond, Bryan is just one of the many cases the school has to deal with, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges being faced by many of the parents and children.

“COVID would have given us an opportunity to go search for them…it has given us an opportunity to see our students’ surroundings,” she highlighted.

Now that hope is in sight, Bryan is expressing gratitude even as she used the opportunity to ask for more assistance, as well as the opportunity to help herself by getting some chickens so she can do poultry farming.

cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com