RETURNING RESIDENT Sheila Kerr has suddenly found herself bringing up children again, after her own brood had left the nest.

She explains: "The children lost their parents and they were only aged 5, 8 and 10. The father died when the baby was only 3 weeks old. The mom died two years ago from an ectopic pregnancy." The children are the youngest of seven children belonging to the former Manchester residents.

The others include 16-year-old twins, the oldest who live with their father. Mrs. Kerr reflected: "I thought of myself as a child. My parents had seven of us. I thought to myself, what if Mom and Dad had died?" Though both herself and her husband were retired, and " not thinking of taking anyone," they "just decided to take on the younger ones.

"They were all going to be separated, no family member could keep all of them. That would be devastating. We took the three little ones and we have been trying ever since. We have bonded very well. Everyone can't believe that they are the same kids who came to us."

The children are still in touch with their older brothers and sisters who come up sometimes to visit. "They talk a lot about their Mom. The three are in school, they have picked up very well."

Mrs. Kerr comments that helping children and women in trouble is not without its pitfalls. "Sometimes you want to help people, but they end up taking advantage of it and it turns you off. This is one reason why we went outside of our community.

"We have helped before, to pay school fees, etc., and then it becomes as if they want to use you. They make it seem as if it's your responsibility to find it afterwards.

"But I really do think that we have lost so much of the family structure where people helped each other. In my days, you were brought up by so many different people." Today, things have changed for the worse, she feels.

But, about her new brood, she comments: "These are very good children and we have no regrets up to this point. It feels good, especially when you see the turnaround. When they go back to Manchester, they are happy return to us in St. Thomas.

Reaching out

THE OUTREACH PROJECTS of the Bureau of Women''s Affair can make a significant difference in the lives of poor women and children, feels Gloria Swyer, community liaison officer in Spanish Town.

That is why she is trying to revive the women's group in Gravel Hill and adjoining districts.

"We empower them so they can manage for themselves as single parents. I personally am thinking of putting up a bakery and solicit help for a vegetable project. You have to do something in with they are interested. A lot of them are interested in hair dressing, but that is expensive.

She asserts:, "Economic empowerment is the chief empowerment. When you are a one parent household, it is most difficult and you hardly can do anything if you do not have money."

She also encourages men to come to her meetings, when they are in full swing.

In fact, her most successful story was a young man who had his smaller brother and mother to look after."