By very nature of her job as the Housekeeper, Teddy is exceedingly helpful. But she is far more than that…she is the heart of the Hope Centre. When I told Teddy that we felt this way, she just shyly smiled and said, “It’s true.”

Teddy was the very first Hope Centre employee. On visits to the property, Rebecca noticed a pregnant Teddy across the street and hoped that she would be the first patient. Instead, she came to the Hope Centre in September 2018 with her 2-month-old son, Maurice.

Originally, Teddy wanted nothing to do with the Hope Centre due to the original introductory liaisons, so she watched from across the street. Then during a visit, Rebecca asked a man to bring Teddy over and she gave her a water filter. They started to get to know each other.

I asked Teddy, “Why did you take this job?”

She replied, “Rebecca was my friend.”

Teddy started in March 2019. She originally cleaned up after the builders. But “like any decent, self-respecting housekeeper” (to quote White Christmas) Teddy kept her eye on everything. She watched while equipment was being set up. She listened as people were being taught. And all of that paid off… Before the Centre was opened, a baby was found in a pit latrine and brought to the Centre. Teddy knew that the baby needed to be warmed and knew how to turn on the warmer! The baby boy was treated and then sent on to the hospital.

Prior to accepting this job, Teddy worked as a Village Health Attendant. Once she found a postpartum woman heavily bleeding and she “made her drink water, water, water” until she was restored.

If you spend any time on the campus you will see Teddy working hard scrubbing everything - floors, windows, clothes. If you give her something to wash it will be scrubbed and on the line before you walk away. She is an exceedingly hard worker and loves her job. She is always singing and will greet everyone with a big beautiful smile and a hearty hug. She now works alongside Jane who was hired in June 2023.

Today, she ran the Hope shop. Originally the shop opened as a way to encourage pregnant women to come to antenatal classes/appointments. If they did, they earned wooden nickels. This then expanded to fathers being given a chance to earn wooden nickels for attending a birth, cutting the cord, etc. Now, the village children have opportunities to earn wooden nickels for positive behaviors like helping a neighbor or picking up trash.

Teddy helps keep track of the ledger and today they redeemed those wooden nickels (they switched to an American penny system today for durability) and she opened the shop. Community members purchased clothing, deodorant, cups, etc. The hot ticket items for the children were a wrist band that provides access to the pool party this Sunday (3 pennies) and plastic dinosaurs (1 penny).

Her favorite thing besides spending time with her family (6 children - 4 boys and 2 girls, and 2 grandchildren) is gardening. She grows bananas, maize, peas, and pigs and is enjoying her momma cat and her 3 kittens.

Over hot tea and peanut M&Ms, I asked her about her hopes and dreams. She recently bought a house and looks forward to getting it finished. She also wants to send her oldest son to college or tech school. She wants to learn how to drive and she hopes to live to 100!

When we were finished with our interview, I showed Teddy a few pictures I had of her. When she saw one of her with her husband she sat back down and beamed and said, “Let me talk about my husband!” They have been married for 25 years. She said that she is “so proud of him! He is a very hard worker!” Even though he had polio as a 2 year old and is disabled, he works hard as a shopkeeper.

Teddy truly is the heart of the Centre and she loves, and is loved by, everyone!