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Denise Chito, a 41-year-old mother of four, is now the beneficiary of a furnished one-bedroom indigent unit, following the handover by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, last Friday.

The unit, located in Albion Meadows, St Thomas, is an addition to a one-bedroom unit that Chito previously received through the New Social Housing Programme. Chito faces significant challenges due to the disability of both her hands, which prevents her from working and earning a livelihood. She registered with the St Thomas Poor Relief Department for support, and prior to the Government's intervention, had been raising her three daughters and one son in substandard conditions.

McKenzie noted that there are real needs in the country and that "persons who continue to look to the State, must never feel as if the State will turn their backs on them".

"We have not played politics in the provision of housing, social housing and indigent housing. We have been open; we have been very transparent in how we operate and there is no audit that has been done that can point to any questionable execution of the projects, both in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and in the Ministry of Local Government," he said. McKenzie informed that all the basic furnishing has been provided for the one-bedroom unit.

"They don't have to worry about what they are going to sleep on. They don't have to worry about what they are going to sit around and eat; all the basic furnishing has been provided for this home. We have gone as far as to ensure that the children are taken care of," he said.

"So, they are now the full responsibility of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation. So, their welfare, going to school, is all responsibility of the local government. You know when I came here, one of them said to me that in order for her to continue to do what she wants to do, she needs a laptop. And I said yes, we are going to provide you with a laptop. We ensure that they also learn what responsibility is at a tender age, so they are participants in the youth summer employment programme. They are coming out to be independent young ladies, so we want to encourage them," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Chito expressed her appreciation to the Government for the provision of the one-bedroom unit.

"I want to say thank you to the Ministry of Local Government; the Poor Relief Department has been a blessing to me and my children. I want to say thank you to everyone who has made this possible for us. We do appreciate you all and we love you all, I feel so alive," she said.

"There were times in my life, my self-esteem got so low because of my living condition. But today I am alive and all is not lost, and I am here today to encourage someone. You may not be in my situation, but I am telling you don't lose hope because I never lost my hope. I never lost faith in God; God has been good to me, and I am grateful," she added.