Jennifer Lino

I’ve been in childcare for over 20 years and love what i do. I’ve been wanting to own my own daycare for years, but was happy just having the opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life. Unexpectedly in 2017 I became pregnant with my 1st child, I was happy to know I was going to be a mommy, as well as friends and family who have been wanting this for me for years. In October 2017, I gave birth to my best friend Khaleesi Monroe. Money was tight and since I was making the better income, I immediately went back to work, while my baby’s father focused on school and caring for our daughter. In February 2018 my life changed forever. In the beginning of the month I find out I’m pregnant with triplets, but the end of the month I’m taking Khaleesi off of respirators because she was brain dead. Why you ask? Because within that month the father of my child killed our daughter by headbutting her 3 times and breaking her arm and her leg, due to his impatience of her crying, all while I slept sick as a dog due to morning sickness. I couldn’t believe she was gone, I couldn’t believe this was now my life, and with all the stress I then lost the 3 I was pregnant with. I took it upon myself to sell everything and move to Belize. Belize is a country I’ve been wanting to reside in for years, and at that time, it was something I needed to do. A couple of months into my arrival, I was referred to someone who can help me with the paperwork I need to work here in the country, and long story short, got swindled out of my money. Since then I’ve been unemployed, with people back at home and here helping me stay afloat, but now the monies have almost been depleted. It comes down to pay rent or work permit, and of course I’ve been choosing to pay rent. I’ve even went as far as to ask my X who is still NOT in jail, and spending money on nonesense without a care in the world, he said he would, but once again he’s nowhere to be found. There is a great need for a daycare here on the island since there isn’t one as of yet, and I felt that’s why I’ve been called here, to not only fulfill my dream of owning a daycare, now I can and must do it in memory of my daughter. My back is against the wall, and I’ve never been one to ask for help with anything, but here I am in dire need of fulfilling this dream and carrying out a need for the community that will only make this island better and be able to give back to a country that has accepted me. There is an existing space that was a child drop-off center that I would love to take over to turn into the daycare, but I need help. I’m not in it for the money I’m in it for the love of children, the love I have for this island and want to give back, and ultimately in the memory of my daughter. I can’t sleep, eat, smile, talk, breathe, I can’t do a thing the same ever again. The pain, grief, and sadness are unbearable some days but I go on for her, I do everything in memory of her. Khaleesi Monroe Torres 10/1/17