Help with Food
See the video of Shelmina sharing her experience from hurricane Matthew.
The Mitten Family is one of the thousands who has been hit hard by Hurricane Matthew, but they are also one of the families that Star of Hope assistance has reached.
Nine-year Shelmina tells our broadcast that when the storm came she was with her three sisters, her mother and her grandfather at home in the village Debouchette. "It started blowing very strong, the rain beat against the roof plate. It began to vibrate. We were all scared and started crying. We huddled in a corner. It was blowing a lot and finally the strong wind lifted the roof plate and blew it away. Everything was wet."
The family was forced to flee for their lives. When the storm abated, there was nothing left to return to. The roof and most of the walls are gone. Ruined clothes are scattered; two beds are under the open sky. "This is the bed, I used to sleep in," says Shelmina and pointing. But it is completely destroyed. She wants to return to school, but the roof caved in during the hurricane. "All my books are gone and my school uniform ruined," says Shelmina. "I miss my toys too."
The Mitten family including the four children currently live with relatives where they are all crammed into the same room. "I do not know what to do," says Shelminas mother Shalena. "I have cultivated banana, potato, yam and had my own coconut trees. We had it as a base for us, but everything is gone." For this reason, they were overwhelmed when Star of Hope delivered a bag of food for the entire family. "It means a lot to me," says Shalena. "I am very happy and grateful. I hardly have any food at all for the children because of the hurricane, but now I can keep them fed for a while. Many thanks."
