New home, new hope for single father and twins

WESTERN BUREAU:

Nine months after Hurricane Melissa destroyed several homes in Flanker, St James, a United States-based philanthropic organisation has stepped forward, investing thousands of US dollars to help vulnerable residents rebuild their homes.

One of the beneficiaries of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation’s generosity is Theodore Notise, who became a single father raising twin boys after their mother died. Earlier this year, he received the keys to a one-bedroom, concrete studio apartment, replacing the one-room board house he lost to the Category 5 hurricane.

In an interview with The Gleaner on Friday, Notise recalled the emotional toll of losing his home and all its contents.

“To be honest, it was devastating. It was traumatising,” he said. “I was wondering if I would be able to take the next step or the next move in rebuilding a roof over my head.”

Notise, who works in construction and also does part-time interior cleaning services, said his greatest concern in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane was the well-being of his children, not the furniture he managed to salvage.

However, after receiving the keys to his new home as the first beneficiary of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation’s housing initiative, he is now looking to the future with optimism.

“It’s heartwarming. It’s a good feeling,” said Notise, who explained that the new concrete home has given his family a sense of security that was lacking in their previous dwelling.

“Yes, I do feel much safer now in this concrete home.”

The GrassROOTS Community Foundation, led by Jamaica-born sociologist Dr Janice Johnson-Dias, plans to construct 10 homes for families whose houses were destroyed by the hurricane.

“We can’t ask people to focus on literacy if they don’t have places to live,” said Johnson-Dias, whose foundation is also heavily invested in education.

“Our literacy work in Flanker was interrupted by the hurricane, so rebuilding homes became the immediate priority.”

Five-year investment

The housing initiative forms part of the foundation’s broader five-year investment in St James, which includes literacy programmes, renovations to the St James Parish Library, and a girls’ leadership development programme.

According to Johnson-Dias, Notise’s family was selected as the first recipient largely because he is a single parent raising two young boys.

“Very soon those boys will be teenagers. If they do not have a safe place to live and their father remains under that kind of pressure, they become vulnerable to the very social problems we are trying to prevent,” she said.

The construction of each house costs approximately US$50,000, covering construction, labour and finishing costs. Seven of the 10 homes are expected to be completed before the first anniversary of Hurricane Melissa in October.

However, Johnson-Dias acknowledged that the remaining three homes, which are to be constructed in a rugged area known as Cuba, present a greater challenge because of the terrain and the larger number of residents requiring accommodation.

“The last three homes are going to cost more because of the labour involved and the difficult location. Funding will determine how quickly we can complete those,” she said, noting that a fundraising campaign is planned for later this year.

Johnson-Dias said the foundation deliberately selected families with multiple children, in order to maximise the impact of the intervention.

“We wanted to support the families that were most vulnerable and where rebuilding would make the greatest difference to children’s lives,” she explained.

Although many of the homes are located on captured land, Johnson-Dias said the foundation proceeded on the understanding that beneficiaries would continue working with the relevant authorities to regularise their tenure.

“Our role is simply to provide safe shelter,” she said. “We expect residents to comply with whatever legal processes are required. This is our gift to them, but the responsibility for resolving land issues remains theirs.”

The housing programme is funded primarily through donations from supporters in the United States, supplemented by contributions from organisations including the Idris Elba Foundation and the Black Lives Matter Foundation.

Johnson-Dias, who was born in Retreat, St Mary, said the project reflects her belief that lasting community transformation requires sustained investment rather than short-term disaster relief.

“Many organisations come in after a disaster and leave. We recognise that if you truly want to change communities, you have to stay,” she said.

Johnson-Dias also stated that while the housing initiative addresses immediate needs, the foundation will continue investing in literacy by strengthening programmes in Flanker, supporting the rehabilitation of the St James Parish Library, and expanding opportunities for children through reading, leadership development and digital literacy.

“The future of Jamaica depends on investing in young people,” she said. “Providing safe homes gives families stability. From there, children can begin to dream, to read, to learn and to build a different future.”

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com