MORE than three years ago the Jamaica Observer reported the story of Denise Chito, a disabled mother of four children, who was worried that the house into which the Government moved her nine years previously would not survive any heavy rain as it was prone to flooding.

At that time, with tears in her eyes, Chito told the Observer then, “I am here kindly asking the prime minister to please intervene in my situation. I am tired of the flooding. I can see where you are giving persons and families hope every day around Jamaica, please do me the honour and my children to give us hope.”

Chito’s quest for proper housing began in 2011 when her stepfather’s mother claimed the plot of land where Food For the Poor (FFP) had erected a house for her in Linstead, St Catherine.

The house was later sold, resulting in Chito, her three daughters and common-law husband being given notice to leave.

They were forced to move into a small one-room house at Duke Street, downtown Kingston, where they all slept on one bed, she said.

Refusing to stay in that uncomfortable living situation, Chito went to several government agencies trying to get a plot of land to relocate.

In 2013, FFP erected a two-bedroom house for her on a plot of land in West Albion, St Thomas, which was leased from the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing in 2013.

However, the new space in St Thomas only brought her more discomfort and fear.

She was later moved to a one-bedroom unit, in Albion Meadows, St Thomas, through the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

Last Friday Chito became the beneficiary of a furnished one-bedroom indigent unit, following the handover by Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie.

He indicated that all the basic furnishing has been provided for the one-bedroom unit.

“They don’t have to worry about what they are going to sleep on. They don’t have to worry about what they are going to sit around and eat; all the basic furnishing has been provided for this home. We have gone as far as to ensure that the children are taken care of,” said McKenzie.

“So, they are now the full responsibility of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation. So, their welfare, going to school, is all responsibility of the local government. You know when I came here, one of them said to me that in order for her to continue to do what she wants to do, she needs a laptop. And I said yes, we are going to provide you with a laptop. We ensure that they also learn what responsibility is at a tender age, so they are participants in the youth summer employment programme. They are coming out to be independent young ladies, so we want to encourage them,” added McKenzie.

Chito expressed her appreciation to the Government for the provision of the one-bedroom unit.

“I want to say thank you to the Ministry of Local Government; the Poor Relief Department has been a blessing to me and my children. I want to say thank you to everyone who has made this possible for us. We do appreciate you all and we love you all, I feel so alive,” said Chito.

“There were times in my life, my self-esteem got so low because of my living condition; but today I am alive and all is not lost, and I am here today to encourage someone. You may not be in my situation, but I am telling you don’t lose hope because I never lost my hope. I never lost faith in God; God has been good to me, and I am grateful,” added Chito.

In this 2022 file photo Denise Chito points the Jamaica Observer to the overflowing sewage in her yard at West Albion, St Thomas, while holding a photo of her house when it was badly flooded in 2020. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)