Help coming in for couple living in car

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Vishwanath Niapaul and his common in law wife Chanelle Niapaul show their belongings which they store in their car. Photo Sureash Cholai

LESS than 24 hours after Newsday published the story of a destitute young couple living in their car, some good samaritans have reached out to offer help.

Vishwanath Naipaul and his common-law wife Chanelle lost their home at Santa Monica Road, El Carmen Village, St Helena, in a fire in April last year.

Then they were evicted from their rented apartment on October 20 after Naipaul lost his job.

The couple has been sleeping on the back seat of their car, with plastic garbage bags of their belongings packed on the front seats.

Their story went public on Thursday and by Friday morning, they had received calls from the Housing Development Corporation and the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services.

Speaking to Newsday on Friday morning, Naipaul said he is grateful.

Vishwanath Niapaul and his common in law wife Chanelle Niapaul in their car. Photo By Sureash ChoIai

“The people from HDC and Social Development are people we dealt with before, so I don’t know the process or how long it would take. They did an assessment interview, which I already did, and they said they would check back their files.”

He said one caller offered temporary accommodation in Santa Cruz.

“The response from the public was not really bad, but the calls not really coming in rapidly. But it coming in.”

Anyone wishing to help Naipaul and his partner may contact him at 306 8249 or send funds to Unit Trust account 5308807-2.

NewsAmericasNow.com