Hurricane victim bounces back

When reporting on a natural disaster, it’s easy to focus on the damage, to simply point a camera on death and destruction. What we sometimes fail to do, however, is to follow up on the human side of the tragedy, on what happens to the victims once their immediate story has been told…and often forgotten. Over the next several weeks we hope to revisit some of the people and places who figured prominently in our early coverage of Hurricane Keith.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

On October fourth we visited Therese Felix at number six Gill Street in the Port Loyola area. Felix’s house was totally destroyed by hurricane Keith and the mother of six children was left homeless. Two weeks later, Felix is in much better shape, thanks to a combination of loans, donations and labour.

Therese Felix, Hurricane Victim

“Mayor Chanona from Belmopan supplied me with twenty sheets of plywood. I got other assistance from the Housing Department. I have a bill for nine hundred and ten dollars and forty-four cents that I have to pay them for some zinc and two by four lumber). The building itself, my sister’s boyfriend, my brother in law, he did the building for me so I don’t have to pay anybody. That was a big help too.”

“Everything was destroyed, but with the help of my neighbours and everything, that is why we are where we are today. My neighbours came out and help me with clothing and things for my children because I did not have any schoolbag, no books, nothing and my neighbour across the street, helped me with some exercise books and other things for my children. “

While Felix has managed to rebuild her home; thirteen other Belize City families remain homeless and are being housed in two shelters in Belize City. Others who lost homes in Sandhill and Ladyville are also staying at the shelters.