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West Bank vendor seeks help to rebuild home destroyed by storm
Quite often the occurrence of natural calamities leaves people coping with the loss of life or the destruction of hard earned belongings. The latter is the reality of Amrol Wickham, a vendor from Phase Two, Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara.
The single mother of two, has been rendered homeless and was literally left to pick up the pieces of her life after high winds accompanied by a rain storm, destroyed her home, about a week ago.
When this newspaper visited Onderneeming, parts of Wickham’s home and household belongings, were seen scattered in her yard.
Wickham had been living at Onderneeming for the past five years. The woman said that she was at home alone, at around 14:30 hrs that day, when the wooden edifice which once stood 10 feet high, came crashing down.
“I was at home when the breeze started whistling and blowing hard. I started to pray for my sons in the interior that God would protect them. Next thing I know is all the roof of the house come off and everything was on me. When I catch myself the place was a wreck and the TV, wares and almost everything damage.”
Amrol Wickham points to spot where house once stood
Wickham said that the episode left her traumatized. The 52 year -old woman suffered injuries to her side, lacerations to her back and leg. She noted that it had taken the family years of hard work and sacrifice to build her home.
Believing in the adage that once there’s life there is hope, she has made efforts to reconstruct her home. But because of her limited resources, Wickham was left with no other choice but to approach a few Non -Governmental Organization, (NGOs) and humanitarian agencies for assistance.
She noted that “Food for the Poor has since pledged support.
“Food for the poor said that they would help me with materials to rebuild and one of my sons came out of the interior to help me, because the roof and back wall of the house fall apart and almost everything is gone.”
For the past two weeks, Wickham has been staying with relatives as she tries to figure out how to rebuild. Wickham, who suffers from a sickle cell anemia, said that whatever little she earns from vending goes towards ensuring that she has food and medication.
“I have sickle cell so I have to ensure that I eat properly but I can work but it‘s just finding employment and since this problem happen it‘s been tough… I have to stay at relatives and it‘s not particularly comfortable so I really appreciate assistance to rebuild my house.”
Anyone interested in providing assistance is asked to contact, Wickham on telephone number# 690-3749.
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