Hazel and David

Hazel and David

Hazel, and her late husband Harold, has been her grandson’s caregiver since his birth 30 years ago.  David is blind, deaf and mute leaving him with no way to communicate with people or his environment.  He wears a rope tether around his ankle for safety since their house is very close to the ocean.  Since he has had the rope his entire life, he is content to go outside only as far as the rope goes.  David loves to sit outside with his face uplifted to the sun.  Despite many challenges Hazel has been able to teach him independence in dressing and grooming, eating, making his bed and other daily activities.

Despite the hardships of island life on this 80 year old, Hazel remains totally committed to David’s care.  There is no running water in the house.  The old well outside provides just a few gallons of sandy water a day which she must carry in buckets to flush the toilet, wash dishes and bathe.  The thing which Hazel says is hardest of all though is not having enough food to fill David’s hunger.  All food in Exuma is expensive because it must be imported.  Milk costs just over ten dollars a gallon and toilet paper is almost two dollars a roll.  Hazel’s government “stipend” is two hundred dollars a month.  Hazel and David eat once a day and when David looks for food and there is none he drinks water.  Starve Poverty seeks monthly donations which are sent to provide a store credit at the market so she can get what is most needed.

Starve Poverty has also adopted the repair and upkeep of Hazel’s house.  To  date outer doors have been replaced, a new roof added, the exterior painted and other minor repairs completed.  In February 2011 a kitchen cabinet was replaced as well as new well.

In March 2012 a cracked toilet was replaced with a new one that was long overdue.  Next on the agenda for Hazel and David is a new back door.