After losing her husband in a pirate attack in 2018, Corentyne resident Taramattie Abrahim was forced to start over. She did not expect that she would have to do so again.
However, for a second time, Abrahim, also known as ‘Kavita’, 32, a mother of five, has been forced to rebuild her life.
She lost all of her belongings in a recent fire, suspected to be electrical in origin.
It was only around two years ago that Abrahim found a partner and together they built their house at Lot 643 Toopoo, Albion Village, Corentyne.
However, on the evening of Saturday August, 21, a sudden fire destroyed the one-storey concrete structure. “Earlier the switch been a blink, blink but me say shortage but then he [husband] come home and bathe and while he a bathe he say he smell smoke and when he turn back he see the fire at the door.”
According to the woman, a mattress was located directly next to the door where the fire started and quickly caught alight, causing the fire to spread throughout the house. She said they all just rushed out “and nothing abbay na get to save, nothing.”
Further, she noted, that when the Fire Service arrived at the location they were out of water, as such they had to leave and return, “so all thing bun out.”
Abrahim related that in addition to all of their household and clothing items being destroyed, they also lost $100,000 in the fire. She disclosed that she had received the government’s “Because We Care” cash grant for her children and that too was destroyed in the fire. “Me put it up that when we hear school opening me gun go buy all thing wah them need because we na been want buy anything and leave it down and then all just gone now,” she lamented.
Further, the woman is also distraught about losing her documents, which includes the death certificate for her children’s father, Dinesh Persaud, who was brutally murdered during a pirate attack while out at sea in the Surinamese waters in 2018.
She explained, “Me does get money [public assistance] for them children and every year we does got to carry in all them documents to renew, if we can get help to get back the death certificate me would be grateful because that’s the only thing me get for them father. If when them grow up and them got to go anywhere and need it me go got to get it to give them, so me really want help to get it back.”
Meanwhile, Abrahim’s new partner, Rajkumar Hemnauth, 30, a labourer attached to the Albion Estate, explained that they built their house “piece by piece.” He added that since he has some construction skills, in order to save money he did not hire any workmen but instead his family pitched in and together they completed the house.
“You na go believe me but me wife a turn spade… Night, night me and she deh build with them big children till we get this and now all gone. Right now we really need some help with grocery and materials. If me get things me go start build back again,” the devastated man said.
He added that almost all of the items in the house were purchased on hire purchase and they are still paying for some. “I try fa we get everything and we take it and a pay piece piece and some we still a pay for,” he said.
Hemnauth noted that he has two children from his previous relationship and they would visit the home every weekend.
‘Life testing me’
Meanwhile, Abrahim, whose youngest child is one-year-old, told Sunday Stabroek during a recent interview that it seems life is testing her with all of the trials she has faced so far. She recalled that after losing her husband in the attack, she was forced to stand up and fend for her children. She said she began doing domestic work but despite finding it extremely hard she did not give up as she wanted to ensure that all of her children’s needs were met.
She recalled that she also had to deal with her children, who kept asking for their father.
However, some years ago she met Hemnauth, who now plays an enormous role in assisting with taking care of her kids. She said she thought her life was finally getting back on the right track but now she is forced to deal with this situation. “Since the fire we na eat nothing yet, them clothes wah we get on that’s all we save, everything else damage but we got to try see what we gonna do, we can’t give up,” she noted. “Abbay punish and build da, night, night abbay do it… He family everybody come together and help and abbay do it.”
Presently, the couple and their children are residing with a relative. Persons interested in offering assistance can contact the victims at telephone numbers 665 0501 or 647 4396.
