Their House

Cesarina Vasquez Sanchez

Cesarina’s story is quite a sad one.  She lives with her father and her stepmother Teofila Sanchez.  When I did her home visit, her stepmother explained that after 14 yrs of marriage, her husband had an affair with a women of the street, and the result was Cesarina’s birth.  Cesarina’s mother raised her for the first year, very poorly.  She would often leave her alone in the house at 1 yr of age.  One morning after Teofila and her husband had reunited, she woke to the child being left on her doorstep.  She was covered in skin sores, as her mother is a drug user.  That was almost 3 years ago, and Teofila has been her legal guardian ever since.

Their home belongs to them, they do not pay rent.  There are 2 rooms for sleeping, Cesarina shares her bunk beds with 2 teenage brothers ages 15 and 24.  Her father works at the port in Puerto Plata.

Cesarina goes to school for 3 hours in the afternoons.  She is in kindergarten and is a happy little girl.  Born 28AUG 2006 she is 3 years old.  She has two teenage half brothers, ages 15 and 24. Her health is good.  She is very close to her stepmother who explains her personality as having lots of energy and says she talks a lot.

Cesarina wants to be a nurse when she grows up.