Yasmattie Persaud makes a difference in the lives of orphans

Oct 07, 2019 News

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Yasmattie Persaud, 48, resides in Cornelia Ida, a village on the West Coast of Demerara. Addressed as ‘Sister Nadi’, she is known as a humble and down to earth individual, several villagers claimed.
She grew up in a simple family where her father was old-fashioned.
Persaud attended the Zeeburg Secondary School, West Coast Demerara, where she sustained eight passes in the Caribbean Examinations (CXC).
She started to work at the early age of sixteen. She is a regular participant of the Sai Baba Movement where she was also a teacher at the centre years ago.
Yasmattie is employed at the Prabhu Sharan Orphanage, a Hindu institution located in the same village where she lives. She has been a mother-figure to many orphans for over 13 years.
“When the orphanage opened in 2005, I started here as a volunteer. But later on when my dad got sick the founders employed me full-time because I needed an allowance,” she explained.

She disclosed that she starts work around 06:00 hours and finishes at around 21:00 hours. She further explained that some nights, she would leave work as late as 22:00 hours, the reason being that she has to ensure each child’s homework is completed.
“I work every day, from Sunday to Sunday and even on holidays. But I won’t complain because if I’m not here, I tend to worry if the kids are fine and I ensure there is no problem. You know, things are the way they should be.”
Persaud stated, “Working here is something I love doing. The response of the children and the love they show is the best reward.”
She claimed that helping the children at the orphanage gives her a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction, since it is something she desired to do. She highlighted that her job is her passion and she found that being a mother figure to the orphans is her life’s purpose.
Persaud added that her religious background does not have anything to do with her profound generosity towards the orphans, but it makes it easier for her. She also stated that her religious interests taught her values that she would convey to the children in the form of stories.
She additionally noted, “They are like my own children because most of them respect me like a mother. They give me that respect a mother would get from a child. I see them as my own children. I treat them like my own children. I scold them like my own children. And I want the best from them like a mother would want from her children.”
Persaud said that children are placed at the orphanage through the Child Protection Agency. Many were mostly abused, neglected in their previous homes or abandoned on the streets. She further explained that being aware of the children’s abused background has a depressing effect on her.
She stated, “I would experience difficulties with the children when they join the institution but it takes some time for them to adjust. But I would sit and talk to them and it would help.
“Sometimes, we seek professional counselling. I would tell them forget about yesterday and focus on tomorrow.” She added that the children already had a complicated past, and she would never want to complicate their life more than it is.
When Yasmattie was asked about her disability, she said that it affects her and poses several challenges but she does not let it put her down.
She said, “I may be disabled physically but not mentally.” She explained that she has a hip dysfunction, spinal disability and a disease called Muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass.
Persaud explained that her disability was caused by an accident she experienced at very tender age. She noted that due to her disability, she is unable to have any biological children. “My relationship with the kids is mutual. They need me as much as I need them. I don’t dominate them and make them feel as though I have control over them and push them around,” Yasmattie stated.
She explained that her health condition entails challenges such as trouble walking, bending and moving around. She added that she has learnt to live with it and gets around without use of wheelchair by holding on to walls, cupboards and other furniture when she has to get around in the building. She noted, “The children are obedient, so that makes it easier for me.” In addition, she emotionally said, “Some days, I would feel overwhelmed, but the children, my children give me reason to keep going.”
She said that working at the orphanage makes her feel happy because what she does for the children helps them emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. She added, “While it would be safe to say that I make a difference in the orphans’ lives, they also have a positive impact on mine.”
She explained that her work in looking after the children includes dressing them, combing the little girls’ hair, helping them with homework, distributing their meals and sometimes she cooks. She explained that since there are many teenagers, they are given small chores each and this integrally helps in the work load.
She told Kaieteur News that her other responsibilities include cooking meals, issuing donor’s receipts, recording all donations whether monetary or not, updating each child’s case file when necessary, and logging each orphan’s daily behaviour among many others.
“Sis Nadi is the mom I never had. From day one when I came here, she was welcoming in this caring way. She always talks to me when I am down and has helped me to overcome a lot of hurt,” said a female 15-year- old orphan.
The administrator of the orphanage, Indira Dowlat, was happy to recognise her employee for her hard work over the years.
She noted, “Yasmattie does not get the credit she deserves because she does more than she is asked and is expected to do.” She explained that Persaud fights for the orphans and claims them as her very own children as well as oversee the orphanage as her home.
She said that Yasmattie’s work is not an easy one as she has to take care of 27 children while at the same time ensure that other areas of the institution are up to date. She highlighted that they do not have a fixed number of children as sometimes they have more than 27. She explained that she can remember at one period of time they had 33 children being accommodated.
She further added that the major objective of the institution is to ensure that these unfortunate children are being provided an educational opportunity so that they can have a bright future. Dowlat noted that they may not be able to fix their past, but they can help them to gain a better tomorrow.
She disclosed that the orphanage is seen as an institution but in reality, it is a home, where everyone treats each other as family since there is profound love and care among the individuals.

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