A family from the storm ravaged Petite Savanne community was handed the keys to the place that they will be calling home for the time being.
The three-bedroom house, located in the Wall House, is owned by the Dominica Housing Loans Board and will be at no cost to the family nor the Government of Dominica.
Joanne Moise along with her husband, her three children, as well as three other children she took in, were given the keys on Monday 22nd September 2015.
“I would like to say thanks to all those involved,” she said.
Chairman of the Dominica Housing Loans Board, Felix Thomas, said they were “deeply saddened” by the havoc and destruction that the island suffered, particularly to the housing sector and as a result the board took the decision to assist in whatever way possible.
“Even is one family at a time, or whatever way it can further down the road, but to start somewhere and make available to the family fitting the description for usage of a building that we have available to us and as part of our resource,” he said.
He noted that the board was careful in the selection process.
“We were very careful in just ensuring that we could get someone to fit the description,” he stated. “We came up with Mrs. Joanne Moise of the Community of Petite Savanne.”
He said the house will be “adequate to give them that sort of shelter that they would need until better arrangements could be made for them.”
Moise gave an account of the morning that Tropical Storm Erika paid its terrible visit to the island.
She said she was awakened about 6.30 in the morning by a relative of her husband and his three children.
“They who woke me out of bed,” she recounted. “And about 15-20 minutes after their house was gone.”
Moise’s house was not destroyed but she and her family had to be evacuated from the community.
Speaking of the three children of her husband’s relative she said, “When I was leaving Petite Savanne, they were with me, their father said he was not leaving. So I told them that I have no choice, I am not leaving you back. So from a family of five I now have a family of eight. I am ready to take the challenge.”
Moise informed that two of the three adopted children are employed and one is going to school.
She described them as “nice kids” and said they are welcome in her family and pledged to take good care of them.
Im very happy for you all,thats a gift from God Praise him.
She said the children are her husband’s family. But why did she not take in her husband’s mother and sister who lived with her in the downstairs of the same house? Hmmm does not seem so nice. Just saying.
I agree, because the woman have a business and I sure her husband working, plus two of the adopted
children working, so you see how many hands clapping in that family. They can afford to pay rent.
Put fairness where it belongs.
Oh do you mean she would be financially able to upkeep the house AND also provide for THREE EXTRA CHILDREN!!! Sounds like even more of a win-win to me. What are we REALLY fussing about here?!
I think I even more deserve that house than them because I am a single parent, can’t even afford to
pay my rent. My hand alone that clapping and not clapping big
Is people that have already, that still getting. That family can make their ends meet.
There are other people that deserve the house, some family only one hand clapping
DOMINICANS!!…PLEASE stop this backbiting the government have to start somewhere and they just did Look forward to better things U must crawl before u walk
I that Joanne Mosses from Slough in England that went to live in pittie savanne? We have been trying to get through to her is she ok .please let us know .thanks in advance. 1love
It makes me sad and still shocks me to know what TS Erika’s victims went through. She is fortunate that nothing happened to her. You know, one has to really experience this. Some of us can only visualize it.
My heart goes out to them and also in prayers that those who are not yet placed will find proper accommodation. God be with them.
She must be an extremely kind person to take a few more children with her even though she did not know where she would be staying. She appears to be someone who truly cares and looks out for others. This is genuine Christian love.
I like how she took charge of the three children and said: “I am not leaving you here.”
God rewards. A generous person as her deserves this house. Nothing happens without reason.
May you and your family, also adopted, enjoy residing in the house and make it your home until such time, whatever time it takes.
May there be much laughter and happiness in your new home.
God bless you and your family.
Can some of you all stop the bekeriing in a devastation like thi you can’t help everyone at the same time think of it as a blessing to this lady she took responsibility for three more lives people from every where are reading your comments and wondering why are some of you still so cold hea
For ‘Anonymous’ if it were possible to divide the house among all those who lost their homes it would have been done . At least one family is resettled ! Let us hope that things turn around for the others .
atkison do u have a house ? people like u like to bring down people when u don;t have niothing
Hey “dominica new york” its people like the leftist, socialist governments that we have in now in dominica and Venezuela that brings everyone down. And my issued is that in both countries we have a ruling socialist, elite, that will give us substandard housing, health care, schooling, roads, and will sing anthem, While they will never live in those houses, go to the local clinic,but they will shop and have their children in america. Now i don’t know if you reside in new york, but i would like to see a dominica and the caribbean, where everyone has good paying jobs, employment, so people will not have to migrate. Give the DLP 15 more years and everyone will be have nothing except the ruling elite.
I am happy for these family,At the same token would like to know if these family member more devastated than those still in shelters if so it’s fair to me, I hope is not by favorism.
That was very nice and a good thing to do by the housing loan board. This is much better than the “Smurfs” houses venezuela is sending to dominica
Can you do any better, the people of Venezuela are also suffering . Old saying beggars cant be choosers.
Hey me that was just a joke relax. But your point is very good and correct. And thats my issued with these, leftist, socialist, upside down, DLP, Maduro, and Skerrit government. Thats their way of thinking, “the can you do any better… and the old saying beggars cannot be choosers” For venezuela, a member of OPEC, that has one of the largest oil and gas reserves, WHY ARE THE PEOPLE SUFFERING?? It is not because of the lack of money. So since 1998 and 2000 for both governments, we get substandard housing, and they will have you believe that you cannot do better. meanwhile you will never see anyone of them live in one of those, smurfs houses, or work in one of those NEP jobs, or use the PMH for health care, but that how socialist thinks
Atkinson your so called joke fell flat . They are offering assistance , how they live where they work or what dictor the see is immaterial . Living in a house wether big or small is a whole lot better than living in a tent or slleeping on the floor .
You are sarcastic. How many homes as this does Dominica have to give away, be it for the time being?
Ok but i am sure thats not for the time being, wait for a few months and years, and see how well that plans works. But just a few week ago, on august 6, the government said they have spent 393 million dollars on 81 miles of road from 2009 to 2015, that’s 65 percent of the roads. And that’s their numbers, not from the opposition UWP or their critics. So that’s over 4 million, 850 thousand,per miles,
of the tax payers money. Hey real facts, if i did this to our people, they would run me off the island or have me arrested. So you call me sarcastic, But if you are happy and satisfied, they still have 35 percent more to go 
And you trust them to build a house
And the other families living in school ????
they do not deserve a house ?
that’s a horrible shame to make such a publicity on this relocation
when so many people are still living in schools ?
and schools ??? when do they reopen ?
No publicity about the disaster it is for the children wvith no school ?
what a shame ! schools should be the absolut last option for sheltering people !
let’s make publicity here about how people live in schools and what
children out of school are doing in the streets
shame !
Idk why people are giving u thumbs down, but she must get that home because of some status… so many are still living in schools and see the beauty of the home they are receiving. You ARE RIGHT!!
You read she has approximately 6 children with her.
Did you not read that they tried to get someone “who fits the description” of the house? The Board could not allow any and everyone in that house. They must ensure that it is a suitable head of the family who can take care of the house while residing there. If it were you, would you not do likewise, even though you rented it? Read between the lines and comprehend the reason.
What exactly would have been your first option for housing in such a crisis of hundreds in need of shelter in the Commonwealth of Dominica. You would have done it better you say, so let’s hear. Where would you have housed these persons FIRST!! An immediate shelter. Where? Please let us know, those of us who do not know different about the situation in Dominica. It is also a sign of a real lack of maturity to not be able to celebrate with persons who have been given an opportunity. See if I were in the shelter still, I could still rejoice with my neighbor who has been given this wonderful opportunity for shelter ( not even trying to speak about the P. Savanne people, this is just for example). God is good and He will continue to provide. I really don’t understand your disgust of the situation.
What exactly would have been your first option for housing in such a crisis of hundreds in need of shelter in the Commonwealth of Dominica. You would have done it better you say, so let’s hear. Where would you have housed these persons FIRST!! An immediate shelter. Where? Please let us know, those of us who do not know different about the situation in Dominica. It is also a sign of a real lack of maturity to not be able to celebrate with persons who have been given an opportunity. See if I were in the shelter still, I could still rejoice with my neighbor who has been given this wonderful opportunity for shelter ( not even trying to speak about the P. Savanne people, this is just for example). God is good and He will continue to provide. I really don’t understand your disgust of the situation. SIX children, SIX! are out of the temporary shelter. That IS a celebration for ALL of Dominica if we say we care.
So what entitle her to get a home over the others?
Our politicians and their enablers are and can be terrible but it is so nice to see their are people like Joanne amongt a slowly degradating society we call D/can society..
Joanne has always been a pleasant lady all her life. so I am certain 101% the lessons from the storm guided her into doing wht she did storm or no storm she would.
But just allow 2016 to pass by and see how the greed for land and earthly things will begin again.It has already manifested in the distribution of the supplies to the point Medard had to address it & Corriette faux – by stating volunteers have needs too! That was interpreted in more ways than one.
We had a minister who jumped ship yrs ago who prior to moving had made certain he got a few acres at warner$1.00/sq Ft. As the affect migrate that same nogood will be looking 2 buy their assets even if he is ill & going down hill .LAO real loud.
but it is so nice to see their are people like Joanne amongt That ought to have read there.No bloody illiterate like those in Power and some who read and write news-partial iliterates.
Oh geez! What exactly are you trying to say? SMH! You are blowing hot and cold with some gibberish nonsense at the same time.
Indeed happy for you all.
God bless you and family
Joanne, God Bless you. I’m happy for you and your family. Continue being the person you are and you will reap even greater rewards.
I will never forget the day that, without hesitation you came to my daughter’s aid at the St Martin School. That seemingly little gesture left a lasting impression on not only me but my daughter as well. Your daughter was the first person she thought of when she learnt about the devastation in Petite Savanne on that day.
You will always be in our prayers….. Stay Blessed.
A wonderful gift! Praise God!
I am so happy for you mrs moise, and i am also proud of u taking on the challenge of taking in the kids…. Am so happy that you are alright
I’m privileged to be the first DNO contributor to congratulate the family. I’m so sorry for the horrible experience you & your family had however God saved you and given you a beautiful new home. Give God thanks and enjoy your new home. God bless you all & God bless Dominica!!!