Family in need of help

Before September, Nicholas Deonanan, 12, and his 11-year-old sister Nicola had never spent an entire term in school. Neither of them could read nor write.

They started school only four months ago at the Penal Presbyterian School — and what a Christmas surprise they have given their mother.

Nicholas placed third in end-of-term exams in his Standard Three class, and Nicola placed second in her Standard Two class.

When Newsday visited their home at Sunrees Road, Penal, last week, the children eagerly brought out their report books to show off their grades.

In June, when Tropical Storm Bret struck, the youngsters became a topic of national discussion when villagers rescued them from their home. Their mother Sasha Chance was four months pregnant. She has three younger children Nikita, eight, Neil, nine and Nigel, five. The family’s wooden house was badly damaged by the flood and Chance and her family, including stepfather Fazard Mohammed, were temporarily housed in a shelter. With the help of residents, Mohammed was able to construct a two-room house and the family moved back some weeks later.

However, they still do not have pipe-borne water and electricity, but this has not prevented the children from making their best efforts in their school work.

When Newsday visited, Chance cradled her nine-day-old daughter Safia. She told the Newsday that since Nicholas and Nicola began school in September, they had never missed a day.

“When me and their father first separated, I couldn’t take them. Nobody was sending them to school. When they came to live with me in the beginning of the year, we weren’t getting through to register them in primary school and they couldn’t read or write. But we got help to put them in school here after the storm — and look at them now.” Chance added, “I make sure they go to school every day, no matter what.”

The family still faces a tough road ahead, as Mohammed, who is a construction worker, is often out of a job. Chance said, “Things really hard for us. He has trying his best to buy a little something to put down for Christmas whenever he get work somewhere. We are really trying to make a good Christmas for the children. But I not sure what going to happen.”

When asked about his experience at school, Nicholas replied shyly, “I really like it.”

A smiling Nicola agreed, “It is really nice to go to school, aunty.”

Neil, who is nine, is in Standard One, while Nikita, eight, is in second year. Little Nigel, who is five, is in preschool.

Despite the hardships they face, Chance said her family is able to find happiness in each other.

“When it rains heavy, we still get flood right around the house but we making do.

We does stay inside and the children does be happy to play with each other and do their school work.”