Call for support as home for pregnant teens destroyed by fire

By Kaelanne Jordan
mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org

The Mary Care Centre, a Woodbrook-based sanctuary for teenage pregnant girls and their babies, was gutted by fire around 11 p.m. Wednesday night (April 30), leaving its residents displaced and the historic legacy of Archbishop Anthony Pantin in urgent need of rebuilding.

Deborah de Rosia, foundress of the Eternal Light Community, who has overseen the Centre for over a decade, told The Catholic News, Cynthia Low Chew Tung a member of the management team, was notified about the fire by the Centre’s security company.

“Dr Cynthia then called other members of the management team, and we headed to the scene…”

Fire services from Woodbrook, Wrightson Road, and San Juan responded swiftly, arriving “within ten minutes” of the alert. Police and T&TEC also arrived to manage the scene and ensured all electrical connections were safely disconnected.

“I got on scene at about 11.15 p.m. or a little bit later than that. And when we were there the fire was under control, but the building had already been engulfed.”

Despite the quick response, de Rosia confirmed that the building is now 90 per cent damaged.

While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be officially determined, initial accounts suggest it began in one of the bedrooms.

The Mary Care Centre was home to a vulnerable group: “It’s a home for teenaged pregnant girls. So, there [girls who] are 14 years and 16 years. Those are the ages. We have two toddlers at two years old, and four young ladies, they are still children according to the law,” de Rosia explained.

No lives were lost, and nearby buildings were not affected.

In the aftermath, the immediate challenge has been housing. “Well, it’s really temporary [shelter] because persons are now at St Jude’s, but they could only stay there for one night. And so right now we are in the

process of looking for accommodation to house them until the building can be rebuilt,” de Rosia said.

She appealed for assistance to help rebuild the Centre and furnish a temporary home. “We need finances for rebuilding. We are also looking for an architect who would help us with the preparation of the plan… and then… individuals and companies to give funding so that we can start as early as possible.”

de Rosia stressed the importance of preserving the legacy of Archbishop Pantin, under whose vision the Centre was created. “That it is the hope that was started by him, for teenaged pregnant girls. And ever since it has been in existence, it has never been without young ladies and their babies.”

In the short term, there is an urgent need for household items. “For the place that we would have to house them temporarily, we would be looking for beds, wardrobes, and dressing tables. We’re looking for furnishings of all kinds: stoves, fridges, freezers, you name it, living room suite, dining room. We’re looking for all furnishings for the house. Whatever we get has to be furnished,” she said.

Efforts to provide emotional support are also underway. “Up to last evening, they were coping and today we are going to visit them after we have gone to look at the place we think we may be able to house them. And we will then meet with them. But we know that we have to reach out to somebody from our trauma centre who will be able to have sessions with them.”

De Rosia also highlighted the longstanding commitment of the Eternal Light Community to the Centre’s mission. “The Eternal Light Community has been responsible for the Mary Care Centre for many, many years since Archbishop Edward Gilbert’s tenure here in the Archdiocese. And the Eternal Light Community has co-opted a number of persons, very well-qualified individuals who form the management team and have been caring for this facility over the years. If we can look back into Archbishop’s time, it might be about 2010 about we have been taking care of the Centre.”

She closed with a direct appeal: “I would like to simply ask the public and the government to rally with us to meet the needs so that very soon we can rebuild the legacy of Archbishop Pantin.”

People interested in contributing to the Centre can contact any member of the Mary Care Centre:
Deborah de Rosia 360-4850, Dr Cynthia Low Chew Tung 752-1451, Angela Gonzales 680-9024, Eleanor Wells 294-5327, Marilyn Mora-Francis 680-0153, Deborah John-Belle 499-3873.

Financial contributions can be made to:

Eternal Light Community

Mary Care

Republic Bank Ltd

Tunapuna

Chequing Account

350 155 821 001