How one Swan woman is making strides in the wake of tragedy
THREE years ago, Joylin Caliatro’s life changed when she lost her daughter. Nineteen-year-old Camille Caliatro lost her life in a freak drunken feud one evening in the community of Swan. Almost four years later, Joylin has undertaken new responsibilities in the wake of her daughter’s death. Joylin now cares for her grandchildren. She leads an extraordinary life and works in Swan Village. As the primary caregiver of Camille’s children, Joylin has found new ways to provide for her family. Making cassava bread in the community of Swan, Joylin is devoted to caring for her grandchildren and keeping her daughter’s legacy and name alive.

Family matters a great deal to many people, including Joylin. She reflected upon her family, sharing that “I am from Wauna in the North. But when I came here to live, seeing how life was going, I never went back.” Instead, Joylin started a family of her own. Her upbringing was humble, and it taught her many of the lessons she still carries today. She recounted her journey to Swan Village. Her husband worked in the village more than a decade ago and brought her and the family to settle there some fifteen years ago. Joylin remembers much of her childhood and family. During her early years in the community, Joylin describes her life as hectic, never giving her the chance to return to her home.

Today, she can be found making cassava bread at her home in Swan. The art of cassava bread-making was among the first and most valuable things she has learned. Joylin shared that she was taught the process at quite a young age, and it has become her main way of caring for her family. As she stated, “I make a living by buying cassava, grating it, and selling cassava bread from my little shop. This is how I support my family.”

Like so many of us, her family is of the utmost importance, and she has dedicated many years of her life to them, and she continues to do so. Joylin worked tirelessly for many years raising her children. Among them was Camille Caliatro. Camille, a vibrant and warm young woman, gave birth to two daughters. After her death a few years ago, Joylin found herself in a familiar yet foreign situation. She had lost a daughter but had now gained the responsibility of caring for her two grandchildren. But when faced with this challenge, Joylin simply continued to do the things she was sure of. That being the resilience to move forward and the making of cassava bread.

“My granddaughters are my daughter’s children. After my daughter left one night and never returned, I took on the responsibility of raising them. I support them by selling cassava bread, and their uncle helps as well,” she stated during her interview with the Pepperpot Magazine. Joylin showcased tremendous strength in continuing. As much as it has been challenging, caring for the children far past her prime, to Joylin, the weight of the loss of her daughter is far heavier than the work she does. Long hours in front of an open flame are simply worth it for her grandchildren. As she said, “It has been difficult without her. I’ve been taking care of her children, ensuring they go to school and have what they need. But it’s been hard without her support.”

It is truly amazing to consider the undertaking that was given to Joylin. After raising several children of her own, she was then handed the mantle of caring for two other children. At the stage of her life when she thought her childcare days were long gone, in a situation where many would wonder or question the reasons behind their current situation, Joylin simply moved forward. She continued doing as she always had, now with more on her plate.

Miraculously, she is succeeding. Throughout the last few years, Joylin has done plenty to provide for the children in her care. She has worked to send the two children to school. One attends Swan Primary School, while the other ventures to Kuru Kuru for schooling. The two girls attend school every day and are equipped with everything they need.

With the help of extended family members, Joylin could pull off the impossible in caring for the girls. When asked how she has continued doing what she does, she simply explains that she has continued to do what she always has. That is, making cassava bread and providing for those under her care. Her plan for moving forward is simple: continue to do as much as possible with overwhelming positivity and faith. She is hopeful for the future of her granddaughters, as she shared, “I ensure the children go to school and try to give them a normal life.”