By: Andrew Carmichael
Just two days before Christmas, as the season of goodwill quietly settled over this close-knit East Berbice community, the colour blue and soft pastel yellow stood out against the December sky. They were not just freshly painted walls. They were symbols of hope, relief, and new beginnings for two women whose lives had been reshaped by the simple but powerful gift of a home.
On Tuesday morning, residents of Bloomfield Village gathered to witness the handover of two newly built concrete houses to 34-year-old Nalanie Bissessar and 52-year-old Savitree Moteelall. For both women, the moment marked the end of years of uncertainty and the start of a Christmas unlike any they had known before.
The homes were officially presented by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, following appeals made by the women after years of struggling in deteriorating wooden structures. Though modest in size, the houses represent security, dignity, and comfort, things that had long been out of reach.
For Nalanie Bissessar, happiness came with relief. Standing at the doorway of her new home, surrounded by family members and neighbours, she struggled to find words that fully captured what the moment meant.
“I feel happy,” she repeated, again and again, not because the words were few, but because they were honest.
Bissessar lives with her four children, her husband, her aunt, and her son-in-law. Until recently, they shared a wooden house that had become unsafe over time. Each heavy rainfall or strong breeze brought fear.
“When the breeze blow hard, the house shake. When the rain fall, everything wet. You frighten that the house gon fall,” she recalled.
Broken boards, gaps in the walls, and a weakened structure made daily life a challenge. Sleep came with anxiety, especially during rainy nights. The family did what they could to maintain the house, but repairs were temporary fixes to a deeper problem.
Her husband, who worked in agriculture at Black Bush Polder, did what he could with limited resources, often relying on a bicycle to get to work. Despite the effort, the house continued to deteriorate.
Now, the family has a solid concrete structure with proper walls, doors, windows, and a ceiling, things Bissessar says they never truly had before.
“This one got ceiling, door, everything,” she said with a quiet smile. “We not gon feel the house shaking now.”
Christmas has always been important to Bissessar, but this year carries a deeper meaning.
“This Christmas, we feel happy… We gon cook a little food, buy a little thing for them, and enjoy,” she said.
For the first time, she will prepare Christmas meals without worrying about rain soaking the floor or wind rattling loose boards. Her children will sleep without fear. Her aunt will rest in comfort. It is not just a new house; it is peace of mind.
“This house make us feel comfortable,” she said. “For Christmas.”
Just a short distance away, Savitree Moteelall stood quietly in her new home, her emotions less vocal but no less profound.
Moteelall has lived alone for years. After the passing of her parents more than two decades ago, she remained in the family house, a small wooden structure that slowly fell into disrepair. Repairs were attempted, but each fix gave way to new damage.
“It broke down one time, and it broke again,” she explained softly.
Living on public assistance, rebuilding on her own was impossible. She said she approached the Minister for help after realising that no amount of patchwork would save the house.
“If I had to rebuild on my own, I can’t manage,” she said.
The new concrete house now offers her something she has not had in years: stability.
“I feel good. I really like how it is made. It nice,” she said simply.
For Moteelall, Christmas has often been quiet and uneventful.
“Last Christmas, me nah do nothing,” she recalled.
No outings. No visitors. No celebrations.
This year, the meaning of Christmas has changed.
“Me deh house, cook and eat,” she said when asked of her plans for Christmas Day this year.
Growing up, she never imagined receiving something of this magnitude.
“When I was little, I never get an offer like this. Now, I glad. I thankful.”
For the woman who has seen the passing of her parents and four of her sisters, the house is more than a structure; it is a reminder that she has not been forgotten.
Meanwhile, addressing residents during the handover, Mustapha said the initiative reflects a broader effort to assist vulnerable citizens across the country.
He explained that both women had reached out for help after their homes became dangerously dilapidated. Through collaboration with private sponsors, the homes were built and delivered just in time for Christmas.
“I am very happy that during this period of giving and sharing, we have been able to deliver these homes,” Mustapha said.
He noted that while national housing programmes continue, there are also parallel efforts to support families in immediate need, especially those unable to rebuild on their own.
“These are vulnerable families,” he said, adding that similar assistance would continue for others in need.
As neighbours moved in and out of the yards, admiring the homes and offering congratulations, the sense of community was unmistakable. Children explored the tiled floors. Balloons swayed gently in the breeze. Laughter replaced worry.
The houses may be small by some standards, but for Nalanie Bissessar and Savitree Moteelall, they represent something far greater: safety, dignity, and hope.
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