Stop mocking us!

Children of Curatoe Hill, Clarendon, last Saturday spoke from their hearts with The Gleaner team who visited their community. They shared on being ridiculed by members as a result of the condition in which they live with their families.

Without giving their names they opened up on the way they felt and how they are treated by not just other children, but adults as well.

For an eight-year-old, she was bullied at school for wearing ‘a chip up shoes’. She was so embarrassed that she ‘hitch up inna one corner’ trying to hide her shame. What’s worse, she shared that she had to wear the shoes every day and that made her feel bad.

She didn’t complain to her teacher as she said she didn’t feel it would have made much of a difference.

Another child, five years her senior, said she did not fare much better and sometimes while walking on the road, some adults think they are not hearing the mean things being said, but she just ignores it and goes about her business.

“You see where I live right now, dem mock mi bout it, and it mek mi feel bad, but mi nah watch dem,” she informed The Gleaner as she said she knows her parents are doing their best and it is motivating her to do well in school, noting that one day she can help them to get out of poverty.

Complaining that they are not treated as humans, the youngster implored children like herself not to allow that to sway them.

“You si any children out there like we, don’t mek nobody mock unno and tell unno nutten bout unno parents because dem a unno parents and dem haffi a fight hard wid unno fi go a school, hold unno head up try grow up and put dem in a better place,” were the heartfelt words coming from her.

Sixteen-year-old Carlene Lewis* who lives in a home close to Suzette Wilson, who was featured in THE STAR, said her father is in dire need and they live in a house which is broken down and needs attention, but her father is afraid to ask for help.

Admitting that she herself has been bullied and called names since a child, she said she is not allowing that to deter her.

“They used to call me green arms, pickpocket all sorts of names because of where I live,” she recalls, as she said in her community most people look on them and laugh as they highlighted their living conditions.

She would love for her father to have the courage and step forward so they can get the assistance they so badly need, but with a maturity beyond her age, she said she understands as she quipped he is not as strong as she is.

“Whey mi get fi realise is, if you waan meck it inna life you can’t really watch certain people, you haffi just do whey yuh see whey right because if you watch people you nah go meck it nuh where in life,” she shared.

One one last wishful note, she said if her parents did come forward and seek assistance, it would be a good thing, but acknowledges she would also feel bad although she still “nah watch dem”.

Her dream, she notes, is to one day be a model.

*Name changed by request

cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com