radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Her daughter earned a place as one of the top 100 Secondary Entrance Assessment students for 2021.
But now Anita Ramsundar says she can no longer support her daughter’s education as she is jobless, broke and facing mounting debts.
The distraught mother of two who lives at Sum Sum Hill, Claxton Bay, turned to Guardian Media as a last resort hoping to find some assistance for her family, particularly her daughter.
The girl passed for a prestigious school in San Fernando but since the term started, she has been struggling to cope because of lack of a proper device, inadequate internet connection and the worry of being kicked out on the streets. Ramsundar’s son has been sent to stay with relatives who live nearer to his school in Waterloo.
Ramsundar said just last year she was gainfully employed in a construction company but on February 20 this year she had an accident at home which left her without use her left hand.
“I was moving a wardrobe and the mirror broke and cut my left wrist. The median nerve was damaged and the doctor said there could be complete separation of the nerve, which requires emergency surgery,” she said.
Because of the injury, Ramsundar said she can no longer work and has not paid her rent for five months.
She has applied for the government’s rental assistance grant and support from the NIS, but these applications have gone unanswered.
“Right now my daughter does not have all her books and I do not know when I would be able to buy them for her. It is really hard. I never imagined I would be in this situation,” Ramsundar said.
The young girl who was the top pupil at her primary school has a long list of accolades.
“She is the youngest national draught champion, she represented her school in Spelling Bee, she was on the national football team for her school and she was in the 94th percentile at SEA,” Ramsundar said.
Saying her daughter wanted to become a lawyer, Ramsundar explained, “She has excelled in school and she loves studying. She really deserves a chance.”
Ramsundar said her greatest fear was that one day they would be kicked out on the streets.
“Thank God the landlord has given us some time to pay. My mother has spoken to them. She is 57 years and every week she is taking her salary to pay out the rent. She works at a roti shop,” Ramsundar said.
Her brother has also been supportive and has provided an old computer so the student could still attend online classes. But the computer screen is cracked.
Ramsundar said her daughter helps her to do all the chores.
“She helps me hang out clothes, wash wares and cook. She does everything willingly. My left hand is totally damaged. The nerve is damaged and I don’t get any feelings on the hand,” she added.
Ramsundar said she was hoping to get the surgery done at the San Fernando General Hospital.
“ I went back there three weeks ago and they did a PCR test which was negative. I am just praying that I can get the surgery done because right now I cannot do my normal duties. I cannot work. I don’t have passage to keep going up and down the hospital,” she added.
Ramsundar said she cannot hold anything with her hand.
“Sometimes things would drop off my hand and I cannot even feel it falling off,” she explained. She noted that it would cost between $15,000 to $20,000 to do the surgery.
Her immediate concern however is to get assistance with paying off her rent and possibly getting an HDC house.
Anyone wanting to assist can call Ramsundar at 307- 5637.
