Diego Martin mother appeals for help

It’s a steep walk to get to the home of Sherry Ann Joseph, 46. Joseph lives at Hillview One, Factory Road, Diego Martin. Joseph, her seven children and husband Kenroy Joseph, 57, live in a two-storey, wooden structure.

To get to the Josephs, even after a steep walk up the paved road, one must then continue along a steeper unpaved dirt path. The walk to and from the wooden structure would test the skill of the fittest person in TT.

In the Josephs’ wooden makeshift house, all three girls share one room and all four boys, another. Joseph constructed a galvanise room downstairs where she and Kenroy sleep.

"So if I have to go anywhere I walk. If I have to go in to town, you walk down the road and take a taxi and walk into Factory Road."

Even before the start of the covid19 pandemic, life was difficult for the family of ten. Joseph is now unable to work during the pandemic and is asking for any assistance she can get from the public. She receives a food card and has been getting food donations through her church, Breaking D Silence Healing Deliverance and Healing Ministry, Corner Mercer and Todman Streets Road, Diego Martin. She has been going to that church for the past two years. She has not applied for any other assistance from the Government as she was unsure if she would be eligible for it.

Joseph worked as a part of the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP). She said she works for three fortnights and then is off for three fortnights. She has been looking for more permanent employment but has been unable to find any. She once worked in a factory for three months but lost that job.

She said Kenroy did construction work and also worked when he called to do so. Kenroy was on a job when Newsday visited the family on Sunday.

Newsday spoke with Joseph by the standpipe where she collects water for her daily use.

Joseph is worried that after the covid19 pandemic it would be even harder for her to secure more permanent employment.

Joseph’s children range from 21 to eight. She was born and raised at Hillview One and her children are now being raised there as well. It is also difficult for Joseph to get a job as she does not have a high level of formal education.

She said she was taken out of school while in form four.

“I did not get all of my education. It is hard during this time. I am studying, after this, if I will get a proper job because it is really hard, but thank God for the people who God put around me to help me a lot.”

But even during the difficult period, she places all everything in God’s hands.

“Even though this pandemic thing start I was not frighten or anything.”

She does not have a potable supply of water and uses a latrine.

Joseph’s eldest daughter works in a food establishment and has only started working again while her elder sons work “when someone calls them to do something.”

Two of her sons were unable to sit any kind of examinations and also have little formal education and no certification.

She said her 14-year-old son was lucky because he sat the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam and was attending Success Laventille Secondary School, Port of Spain. She is unable to get assistance from her family members as her mother is unwell, her father is dead and surviving sister and brother have to take care of themselves.

Joseph’s brother lives abroad but is unable to assist her.

“My sister would contact him because she has the internet and she contacts him now and then. But since this thing happen we have not heard from him in a while.”

Joseph said she would like assistance from the public in any way that it could be given.

Anyone interested in helping Joseph can contact her at 356-9700.