Couva businessman helps the needy: Don't let the children suffer

YVONNE WEBB

When Hemant Maharaj looks into the faces of poor children in his community of Korea Village, Couva, he sees a reflection of himself and two siblings, who were abandoned and had to endure a life of abuse and poverty.

While the experience could have made him a bitter and dysfunctional adult, Maharaj overcame his challenges to create a better life for his wife and children. His suffering has inspired him to ensure that no other child suffers the same fate. Over the past 32 years, since he moved into Korea Village, Maharaj, 53, has walked the talk, making a difference in the lives of others less fortunate through social and other programmes.

One tradition, which he started some 16 years ago, will take place again today, Christmas Eve, when he will bring joy to some 400 children with a celebration of food and drinks, toys and games.

“I really had a tough life. My siblings (one brother and a sister) and I were abandoned as children.

“We grew up eating from a dump, being abused. When we were children, adults would give us rum to drink, put us at the top of stairs and have their children kick us down the stairs. You name it, we endured it.

“There are things I keep bottled up because I would feel ashamed if my children knew the experiences their father suffered.

“When I got married and had children – four daughters and one son – I started to educate myself to come out of this poverty and now that I have, I don’t want to see children suffer.”

Maharaj said when he left Carlsen Field, Chaguanas where he grew up and moved to Korea Village, he saw a lot of poor, illiterate and untrained people.

He got involved with the SHARE programme giving out hampers to those in need, he signed on as a tutor with the Ministry of Community Development, served as president of the Korea Village Council and was also instrumental in the community policing initiative to eradicate crime in the area.

Through the outreach programmes, Maharaj said, there is less poverty, more educated people and people who are taking their lifestyles more seriously. However, he said there is still a lot more work to be done.

One of his daughters, Chelsea, speaking about her father, described him as an action-oriented community activist who heads the Korea Village Outreach Programme.

“My dad grew up in a broken home, eating scraps from the side of the road. He never knew the fun and joy of having a toy at Christmas, of family to spend it with. From the early age of five, he had to labour for food to eat and to get by,” she said. “From the many stories of how horrible his past was, he grew up with passion to bring about positive change and a big heart to help families in need.”

Chelsea said her father always instilled in his children good principles and values and encouraged them to embrace others despite their status in life. “His mantra is, never scorn or look down at people, because he was once that way.”

Showing the selflessness of her father, the recipient of a national award for community service, Chelsea said many days he and her mother went without food but ensured their children never went hungry.

“He always provided for his family and still does.”

To this day, Maharaj still wants to give, and so, for the past 16 years, with the help of other residents, he has held his annual Christmas treat. Businesses such as Kem Trax and Sanjay’s Bouncy Castle have also helped, along with supporters Anita Ramdass, Kassim Khan and Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial, and the programme which started with a few, has blossomed into an annual event for hundreds of needy children.

“We don’t do it for show, we don’t make money from this, we do it to make a difference.

“Sometimes we go to these corporate and big business for help and they refuse. It is the ordinary folks, those who work in the Public Service and banks who help to keep our programme going. This year is going to be the biggest celebration yet,” Maharaj said.

Chelsea said Santa Claus and his elves will appear, not on reindeer, but on a truck filled with Christmas gifts. Each child will have an opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap to receive a gift. There will also be games such as musical chairs, pin the nose on the reindeer, pass the gift, which would reward children with tokens, as well as face-painting, a bouncy castle and cartoon characters.

“We would distribute snack bags to between 200 to 400 children. We would also have popcorn, balloons and a small hamper give away to parents attending the event.”

Chelsea said her sister, Shennelle, inspired by her father’s generosity has also embarked on a hamper giveaway initiative to put a smile on the faces of the parents, many of whom have suffered major setbacks owing to the floods at Divali.