A
alexk
Guest
German-born diarist Anne Frank once said that “No one has ever become poor by giving”.
And it was for this reason several T&T Guardian readers contacted our offices pledging support for 11-month-old Angelica Ramadhin and her mother, Deomatie Baal, 24, who were made homeless by a fire.
Saying that Angelica’s misfortune brought them to tears, several readers have already contacted Baal, offering clothing and other items.
The mother and daughter still need a home as they move from house to house in search of a place to sleep at nights.
Fayed Hamid, who was one of the 700-plus workers laid off when ArcelorMittal closed its door in 2016, said yesterday that while he did not have a lot of money, he would pool resources together to help.
“My wife and I work with children’s homes and when I read Angelica’s story, tears came out my eyes. I have a daughter that will turn two on May 20, the same month with Angelica. I don’t like to see people suffer,” Hamid said.
Baal said she had to return to several Government offices to see if the family can get help. However, she is yet to access any Government grants because she had no title to the land she lived on.
She said while she welcomed calls from people offering assistance, one man called to ask whether she needed a husband as well.
On April 9, Baal and Angelica were visiting relatives when fire officers contacted her and gave her the heartbreaking news that her home along Wilson Road, Penal had been gutted.
Hoping the officers had made a mistake she contacted relatives, who went to check the house and confirmed the bad news.
Baal said she did not return home until the next morning to see that the clothes, furniture and appliances that she had recently purchased were turned to ashes.
Days later, Baal said the twisted metal remains were also stolen from the ruins.
She said that she worked at Prize Band Variety Store in Debe until she got pregnant with Angelica.
However, Angelica’s father left after she was born, leaving her to take care of the baby on her own. Without a job, Baal cannot afford daycare. She said the house she had lived for the past six years was without electricity until last year.
From the money she saved while working, she purchased appliances.