Madam's Monday- Mimose Montus

"Hello, everyone! My name is Mimose Montus and I am going to share some of my life with you. I have 51 years.

I have 4 brothers. I had 5, but one died. I lived with my mother when I was a little girl. We didn't have any money and we were very poor. My mother was a merchant and we could eat once a day. None of us ever went to school because there was no money for that. When I was 11, my papa took me from my mother's home and took me to one of his friend's house. He didn't think my mother could care for me. A year after that, I dropped a coffee press cloth in the water well and they sent me back to my mother because I was too much of a problem. I went and lived with my mother. I didn't stay there long because one of my uncles came and took me to Port au Prince with him. I lived there for 8 years. I was able to eat once a day and I had to do all of the work around the house. I became a slave child until I was 20. When I was 20 years old, I tried to take some night classes and work, but it was too much money so I couldn't do that. I took another job at a restaurant and made $1.20 American a month. Sometimes I cooked and sometimes I cleaned. I lost that job and tried to become a merchant. I tried selling anything I could get my hands on. When I was 22, I had my first child. Then, I took a job at a woman's house. When I started working there, my mother died. I stayed working there for 5 years. During this time, I had my second child. Both of my children lived with me. 

In my life, I have had 7 children. 2 of them died and I have 5 children left. 

When I stopped working for the woman, I moved into a mud hut with my children. I started selling what I could at my house. 13 years later, my house burned down. We were homeless. Someone took us to live in their house and they helped me and my children. After some time, the person could not help us anymore and I had to go somewhere else with my kids. I found a small shack that didn't have a roof and we stayed there. After a while, we put a roof on it. I knew a few people that lived close by and they helped me and my kids. With the money we were getting, I was able to put some bricks around the house to make it stronger. I still live there today. 

Three years ago, the business I had at my house went bad. I owed a lot of money to people and I needed to make more money to pay them back. I had to look for another job. Someone called my daughter and told her there was a job available at OLTCH. I did not know what it was, but I came to see. I was interviewed and hired as a cook and house keeper. I have been here for 3 years.

I am still helping my children because none of them work and make money. I also have three grandchildren. 

The money I make at OLTCH goes to all of them. 

I enjoy working at OLTCH because I can work hard and not just sit. I like that there is always a chance to make more money and get a better working position here and I need that for my family. 

If I don't die, you will find me working here. 

I would love to be able to stay home with my children and grandchildren, but without work there is no money and we need the money. 

Thank you everyone who reads my story. Thank you for caring."