It
was August 19, 2007, the day that Hurricane Dean came.
Violet Hendricks who lives in Central Village, St Catherine,
was in her house with her two granddaughters - 11 year
old Imranae and 6 year old Revina, sheltering from the
wind and rain of the hurricane.
Violet’s 31 year
old daughter Tayi was in an adjoining room. Her daughters
opted to stay with their grandmother as they said they
felt safer there. But they never knew what danger awaited
them.
Violet heard a noise coming from outside.
The noise, which sounded like something falling, prompted
Violet to rush under the bed with her two granddaughters.
Moments later, Violet realized that
the cotton tree which stood tall beside their house for
many years had fallen - on top of her house.
After the wind and rain from the hurricane
subsided, Violet and the rest of her family emerged to
look at the remains of what used to be their home.
While
they were grateful that their lives were spared, they felt
a tinge of hopelessness, particularly Violet who had lived
in the house for over 20 years and now had nowhere to call
home. That is until the Jamaica Red Cross (JRC) stepped
in.
“When the JRC heard about Violet’s situation,
we felt moved to assist them” said JRC’s director
of Emergency Services, Marcia Sinclair, “this is
what we are here for - to help persons in need.”
The JRC provided the materials
and paid the workmen to rebuild the house. When asked
how she felt about getting a brand new house, Violet
was ecstatic.
“I am so
happy. I cannot wait to move into it.” The house,
which was a little larger than her previous one, was built
with hurricane straps and double columns so it could withstand
any future hurricanes.
Violet is the first of approximately
70 persons who have benefited from the JRC’s Hurricane
Dean Housing Rehabilitation project.
The project, which
is funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid
Office (DG ECHO) through the French Red Cross and the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will see other
affected persons in the parishes of St. Catherine, St.
Thomas, Clarendon, St. Elizabeth and Manchester being
assisted in rebuilding their homes.
The JRC is still conducting
the necessary assessments and is in the process of acquiring
the relevant materials so that work will begin on other
houses as soon as possible.
This is great news for people like Violet Hendricks, who
lost their homes and almost everything in it due to the
passage of Hurricane Dean. But like Violet, they too, with
the help of the JRC will have their homes and hopes restored.
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