FORTY-ONE-year-old, Ayasia LaFleur, the mother of nine who won a semi-furnished home at Prospect after participating in the housing lottery held during the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) Open House Exhibition, could not stop smiling and thanking all involved, as she received the keys to her new home on Friday.

The sweeper/cleaner received the keys from the minister responsible for housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, in the presence of four of her nine children at a simple handing-over ceremony in front of the property.

“I’m so happy. I don’t know what to say but I must thank God for everything and I would like to thank the Ministry of Housing so much and everybody who come on board to assist me, I would like to say thanks, thanks, thanks,” LaFleur said, as she clutched her six-month-old son Duriel.

Her 13-year-old son, Demarquis, spoke of how happy he was to see the family upgraded to a nicer home.

The kindheartedness towards the former squatter did not stop at just the house, and furniture. She no longer has to pay the $100,000 for the land, as was initially expected, thanks to the benevolence of the Guyana Public Service Union and D&J Group who paid $50,000 each to cover the bill. The two organisations were present on Friday to hand over the money to the CH&PA.

“I feel so great, when Miss Gardener called me and told me that I said oh God! God is working so much miracles for me. I tell my child thank God for what everybody is doing for me,” LaFleur said of this further donation.

Still not done yet, LaFleur was also the recipient of several huge hampers of food and household products to help her better settle into her new home.

Squatting in the GuyHoc Park Squatting Area for some 23 years, LaFleur had applied for a house lot 12 years ago and had hoped that her fortune would change under the coalition government since she got “nowhere” under the previous administration.

On Sunday March 31, she had visited the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) Open House Exhibition where a lottery was held for one person to win the one-bedroom wooden house at the end of the event. Like hundreds of others who visited the event, LaFleur had filled out a coupon and hoped for the best.

LaFleur related that she broke out in screams when she received the phone call some time later, while shopping at the Giftland Mall.
While the house is still a step away from being where she wants it to be in order to accommodate herself and all of her children, LaFleur now looks to the future with much hope, and has big plans for her property.

“I plan to extend the home because I’m having nine children, so later on I’ll put out a room so they can have a room. I does do my kitchen garden, I have two puppies and I love flowers and a nice home with a nice yard,” she shared.