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94-Year-Old Grateful to HEART/NSTA Trust for Renovating Her Damaged Home

By: Judana Murphy, January 30, 2025
Hurricane Relief & Recovery
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94-Year-Old Grateful to HEART/NSTA Trust for Renovating Her Damaged Home
Photo: Contributed
HEART/NSTA Trust Managing Director, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton (fourth right), and members of staff share a photo opportunity with homeowner Hyacinth Lowe (fifth right), and her daughter, Sharon Lowe (left), during the handover ceremony for their renovated home in Queensbury, St. Elizabeth, on Friday (January 24).

The Full Story

Ninety-four-year-old Hyacinth Lowe has been beaming with joy since returning to her renovated home, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Beryl last July.

The roof of her Queensbury, St. Elizabeth, residence was completely torn off by strong winds, leaving a trail of devastation behind.

Ms. Lowe is one of the beneficiaries of the HEART/NSTA Trust National Impact Projects.

HEART/NSTA Trust Managing Director, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton (second left), joins homeowner, Hyacinth Lowe (third left), in cutting the ribbon during the handover ceremony for her renovated home in Queensbury, St. Elizabeth, on Friday (January 24). Observing (from left) are Deputy Managing Director, National Training and Programmes Division, Dr. Cheryl McLaughlin; and Ms. Lowe’s daughter, Sharon Lowe.

The repairs to her four-bedroom home were carried out by HEART trainees and instructors.

“I wasn’t expecting this. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! I am feeling very comfortable,” Ms. Lowe told JIS News.

“I am 94 years old and Beryl is one of the worst hurricanes I’ve ever come across, for it cause me fi guh down a one neighbour house fi two months. I fret, I cry, I bawl day and night, but God has released me out of it. Thanks be to the Almighty God who sent help for me and others who were suffering,” she said.

Her daughter, Sharon Lowe, recounted that when the roof blew off, it resulted in damage to the doors, windows, furniture and their belongings.

“We had a decked bathroom and we had to run inside that part. Because the wind was so high, the window blew out and after the wind sort of died down a little, we had to hold her hand and go down to the neighbour’s house. It was very challenging,” she recalled.

Hyacinth Lowe (right) and her daughter, Sharon Lowe, express gratitude to the HEART/NSTA Trust, during the handover ceremony for their renovated home in Queensbury, St. Elizabeth, on Friday (January 24).

After seeking refuge at a neighbour for two months, the family managed to get a portion of the roof repaired, so they could move back in.

Shortly after, HEART stepped in and effected repairs to the entire house and gave it a facelift with a fresh coat of paint.

“We are so thankful. The house looks like it’s a brand-new home right now. Thanks very much to the HEART team for giving us this brand-new home and also a brand-new life,” Ms. Lowe said.

The damaged roof at Hyacinth Lowe’s home in Queensbury, St. Elizabeth, following the impact of Hurricane Beryl last July.

For her part, Managing Director, HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, said the team was happy to step in and support the family.

“This is just indicating that the work that we do transcends traditional training activities and it really also provides real-world experience for our trainees, while simultaneously addressing a critical community need,” she told JIS News.

Dr. Ingleton noted that in addition to replacing the roof, trainees repaired electrical wiring, installed new plumbing fixtures, renovated the bathroom and kitchen and restored the outdoor environs.

“The hands-on experience enhanced the technical skills of our trainees but it also instilled in them a strong sense of civic responsibility and also a deeper understanding of the impact that their work can have on the lives of others,” she said.