Teasing turns to admiration for Trench Town family which lived in a bathroom
almost 4 years in Jamaica Observer
The constant teasing that Omarie Ferron, his two siblings and their mother Natesha Fearon endured for roughly a decade, due to them living in an abandoned bathroom on 2nd Street in Trench Town in St Andrew Southern, has now changed to admiration.With the help of a community-based charitable organisation called the Dream Team, which is run by Akino Page, the family's living condition has been vastly improved.Up to a few months ago their reality was such that all four of them bundled in one small and hot room, but now each family member is sleeping on their own bed with access to an expanded space and proper bathroom facilities.Omarie says he is happy that the teasing has ceased but is more elated that he was successful in the last sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) as he was placed at his first instituition of choice, Calabar High School.He was also granted a five-year scholarship from Trench Town New Testament Church of God, which he and his mother are excited about because they were pondering where the school fees would come from.Although the journey has been tough for the family, even being mocked by some residents, Omarie said he has forgiven the people who treated them badly and is now pushing for greater achievements, one of which is to represent Calabar High School in athletics."Since I was very small I always wanted to go to Calabar because of athletics. Calabar is the right choice. I feel very good. All I have to do now is put my head to the test again and continue to strive, strive, strive," the graduate of Boys' Town Primary and Infant School told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.He pointed out that he averaged 84 per cent in PEP."I wanted to score in the 90s but because of coronavirus and I didn't have any device and then Internet problems, I missed out the first term of the school year. But when I started going face to face for around a month before the exams, I started to build up back my grades."I thank God for what I did. I want to say thanks to the church for the opportunity. You picked me instead of someone else. There were other children there who passed for Kingston College and other schools and you could have picked them, but you chose me - and I am grateful," said Omarie.He added that all the teasing from members of the community helped to mould him into a mentally strong individual."The people are not teasing us anymore. They are saying 'Your house is pretty' and dem thing deh and dem just stop tease wi and stop seh everything weh dem normally seh bout wi. Sometimes I say, 'Why mi fi mek dem come near mi now, after all of this,' but mi still talk to them because a suh wi stay, no matter the feeling in yourself."Omarie's mother told the Observer that she is very delighted by "everything that has happened" in recent days.She noted that her 18-year-old daughter does not have to take baths at the back of the yard at nights anymore.According to the mother, she is proud of her boy for having confidence in himself and being placed in a prestigious institution such as Calabar."I am very happy and delighted for everything that has happened for me. I am grateful for the Dream Team for providing me with more space and comfort. Before I met the Dream Team it was like I was living in an oven, and we did everything inside. Eventually the bathroom got choked and everybody end up affi bathe outside."The girls had to wait until night. All of that is over right now; everything is inside right now. I am in my own room now and I am more than comfortable. Sometimes it come in like mi nuh waa wake a morning time. I am also overwhelmed, because Calabar was Omarie's first choice.She added, "I was struggling and wondering where I would get $50,000 from for school fees. The great news is, he got a scholarship for five years out of all of the persons they interviewed. When I saw him with the envelope, tears filled my eyes. If he excels every year his picture will go up in the church. I am so happy for him because I did not reach so far in school."Me used to go Dunoon but mi never graduate. I am happy that he got his first choice. My daughter was the first to finish school for me and I am sorting out something for her now to go to HEART to do cooking. She wants to do nursing but we don't have that money right now. Mi just a do wah mi can manage fi di time being," added Fearon.