The ‘Nochemala’ (sad Christmas Eve) of the poor

There, this poor woman cooked, on a gas stove, some rice and pigeon peas. As the little money she had was not enough for meat, what she prepared would help “kill the hunger” of her seven children.

Her eyes lit up when he saw the reporter and the photographer of the newspaper. Finally, someone was going to know her story. She dreamed of having a more dignified home to “put light bulbs” on December 24, but her economic condition does not allow it. Her two oldest children go out to “take a day” working construction to take food home, while she stays to take care of the little ones.

For this family of eight members, December is not a time for parties and joys. They cannot enjoy Christmas Eve between traditional banquets, Christmas carols, and new clothes, because they barely survive the scarcity of resources.

That Friday, the children of Deidamia were playing, also barefoot, between rebar and the contamination of the place. It had rained and the surrounding area of their house was flooded. To enter their home of wood and zinc one had to jump a puddle.

Pedro Miguel, is 6 years old; Daniel 8; Darian 10; Darianny 12; Deiry 15, and Emerson, 19. Everyone received the newspaper’s team with laughter and amazement, while Devilson, 17, was working.

A mother’s pain

When Deidamia mentions her needs, she gets a lump in her throat and her eyes become watery. She speaks with an effort not to cry, but it is impossible when she remembers that five of her children do not go to school, that three months ago two of them had dengue and that she cannot take them to a pediatrician because she has no medical insurance.

What everyone will ask is where are the fathers of their children. Devilson and Emerson’s father passed away, and that of the other five is an old man who lives in San Juan de la Maguana and physically mistreated Deidamia, which is why six years ago she moved to the capital with the help of a brother who paid RD $ 1,200 for a room. There she lived with her seven children.

Then, Deidamia moved to this little house that she built with a lot of effort, which is now their refuge, even in precarious conditions. It only has three beds, a damaged table, no chairs, a small TV, a stove with a burner and a fridge and washing machine that do not work.

Space is very limited for them. A small gallery with a dirt floor and no chairs is the meeting place. That is why Emerson’s dream is for his mother to have a “nice” house so that she is happy and one day to spend a Christmas “as other families do.”