MARLENE Hazel has endured many hardships throughout her life. She grew up in an abusive, poor family, and lost her 14-year-old daughter to gun violence.

But it was these very traumatic experiences that gave her immeasurable empathy as she never wants others to face similar battles. Now, several years later, she is deeply involved in social work and is loved by her community.

Hazel, 52, grew up in what she calls the “farming side” of Wallerfield, and still lives there.

She has always had a passion for sports and culture and helping others, she told WMN during a cellphone interview on November 20.

She is currently the president of the Wallerfield Community Council, Demerara Sports, Youth and Cultural Club, as well as the Jacob Hill Settlement Council.

She has advocated for and helped the community get a recreational ground, activity centre, as well as houses for residents.

Every Christmas, the sports club she leads hosts a caravan in the community where they distribute toys, snacks and hampers to families. The group also hosts an annual football competition.

She also runs an NGO called Hope for the Hopeless, which assists children and adults who are victims of abuse, among other things.

Hazel told WMN she had a difficult childhood.

She attended Cumuto Government School, then Bates Memorial High School, in Sangre Grande. However, she was forced to drop out of school in form three.

“My father was a gambler and he was an alcoholic and while we never necessarily ran out of food, we struggled financially. Simple things like going to school were a struggle. I would go to school when I could afford to.

“Many times, we (my four brothers and I) would eat bake and butter, bake and dasheen bush, dasheen bush and dasheen for every meal.”

In addition to financial challenges, she said she endured physical and sexual abuse from more than one family member.

“And it was that abuse that made me stop school.

“And when you’re abused like that, you start to search for love in all the wrong places.”

She added, “When I tell you poverty is hell, you end up making so many wrong decisions.”

She became pregnant by men she called “hit and run fathers,” who also abused her.

She had a total of eight children.

She recalled someone approaching her on the streets about getting involved in exotic dancing, promising she would be able to earn some money.

And she did.

She became Monica the exotic dancer.

“I travelled the Caribbean doing exotic dancing when I was in my 20s.”

She eventually returned to Trinidad and Tobago while pregnant with her seventh child, not knowing the unfortunate fate she would meet again. This time, involving her daughter Anisha.

“She loved steelpan – it was her passion.

“The night before Independence Day (in 2005), she went to practice. But as it got later, I find I wasn’t hearing anything and she wasn't home. Then my aunt said, ‘Marlene, call (the adults) there now. There was a shooting.’”

She said she could not control her emotions as she continually called the supervisors th