Kaysher’s Korner: Library where dreams come through

KORIELLA (KORI) ESPINOZA, 37, lives alone in Gasparillo, but her home is filled with joy.

Within a five-year span, she lost her mother and sister to cancer. Then she also lost her 102-year-old grandmother.

Turning her loss into love, she dedicated herself to Korie's Kids, a programme that not only grants wishes to terminally-ill children, but also provides free homework assistance, music lessons to students and builds libraries in public spaces.

"When I go home, it is empty, there is silence," Espinoza told Newsday. "But by making it possible for somebody who is sick to be happy, it fills my home with joy.

"My mum used to tell me if God gives you a gift you can't keep it to yourself, so I started teaching."

Challenged by her mother to use her time more constructively, Espinoza started teaching Spanish, English and music lessons free of charge in 2005. In July, 2013, she won an award for outstanding volunteerism from the Ministry of Community Development’s Community Heroes Awards.

The next month her sister, Kaysher Espinoza, was diagnosed with colon cancer and given months to live.

Espinoza had a large Danielle Steele collection and Kaysher would constantly borrow her books.

"The month Kaysher got diagnosed, I decided I was going to put a bookshelf in the hospital so she could read them whenever she was there," Espinoza said.

She collected 50 books for the hospital in August, but Kaysher died on September 15.
Espinoza announced her sister's death on Facebook and received a flood of more donated books.

She collected approximately 5,000, and the first reading corner was built at Paradise Pastures, San Fernando.

"In honour of my sister, I decided to create a library called Kaysher's Korner. My sister never got to see the library. The launch of the first library was October 17, but she died before. We intended to only do a shelf, but with the books we got we were able to make a full library," Espinoza said.

There are now five Kaysher's Korners throughout the country: Paradise Pastures in San Fernando, St James Medical Complex, Mayo RC Primary School, Scarborough General Children's Ward and the learning centre in her home. Espinoza is working on a sixth library at Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive, where Kaysher taught Spanish.

In October 2014, her grandmother died, and her mother died on Mother's Day last year from colon cancer.

"Everybody in my family was dying, and I started to get anxious. I wanted to tell God I lived in service to others. I wanted to be the present and live in the moment."

Describing it as a "small-scale Make-a-Wish Foundation" Espinoza started working with terminally-ill children to help them achieve one dream before they die, calling it: Make the Kids' Dream a Reality.

"One year ago, a girl came to me and said she wanted to be on a plane. I helped her get her passport organised and we went to Tobago.

"I know she didn't need a passport to go Tobago, but I wanted her to have that experience all the same. The pilot even came out and talked to her."

Espinoza works at the Princes Town Regional Corporation as an assistant to the corporate secretary. Most of the cost of her charitable her work comes either out of her own pocket or through donations from the public.

"I had no money. It was just out of pocket for the past 15 years. I ask for donations of books. My colleagues at the corporation donate: they send me canned goods when they can. I told myself God would provide, and everything that we are able to do now comes from donations," she said.

She does not accept monetary donations, as she does not want to be held accountable for the funds.

"My kids need stuff. If you want to donate, please go out and buy them for me. That way it is transparent," she said.

"My last student, Ashley, she was a resident of the hospital. Her mum asked for a wheelchair, but I could not afford to get the wheelchair quick enough. By the time she got the wheelchair, she was too sick to sit in it."

Espinoza was among the Angostura Champions of the Year, on December 7, at the House of Angostura, as one of five finalists nominated for outstanding community service. She received $50,000.

The money from Angostura will go towards her private charity, to buy instruments for her classes and books for the sixth Kaysher's Korner.

"Growing up, I did not want for anything, but I know there are many homes that are struggling, so I found a way to help where I could help, and I will work with my kids as long as I can," Espinoza said.