Alicia Barnwell, 27, sits outside of the Orangeburg Workforce Development Center with her 2-year old daughter Kelia on her lap.

Kelia’s smile brightens up her little face as she takes comfort in her mother’s arms, secure knowing that her mom will be there to take care of her from strangers.

Barnwell, who has been unemployed since she graduated from Edisto High School in 2001, says it has been an ever-growing challenge providing for the security and for the needs of her daughter these past few years.

Barnwell says she has applied to a number of employers such as Pizza Hut, Waffle House, Huddle House and Howard Johnson, though without anybody hiring she has had to resort to baby-sitting to make ends meet.

“I have been baby-sitting my sister’s kids while she is out there working,” she said. “I am applying anywhere I can, but I guess you have to be professional to work and you have to know everything.”

Barnwell said as a high school graduate, she has her GED. But she says with many employers wanting on-the-job experience, she wonders how somebody out of high school gets it. She said it has been her experience that job-training opportunities are also lacking.

“It is hard,” Barnwell said, noting that while the father of her child “is around,” the bulk of the childcare falls upon her shoulders. “I get a little help from my mama.”

Barnwell said she is currently getting by on food stamps and help from her mother.

“I work around the house or either watch somebody’s kids for the week,” she said, noting she does have experience in housekeeping and would be a good catch.

But no one is fishing.

With her joblessness going on nine years, Barnwell says the frustrations are mounting. She says she gets her strength from serving others, especially her family.

“By looking after my daughter and taking care of my grandmama when she is on dialysis,” Barnwell said of how she manages to remain upbeat despite the lack of income. “As long as they are happy, I am good. But I want them to have more.”

“Regardless if I don’t have a job, as long as my daughter’s got food in her mouth, I am good, I am happy. We are not on the street. We do have a house,” Barnwell said.

In the interim, Barnwell will continue to keep her faith that with every dark cloud there is a silver lining.

“I say God you woke me up this morning to help me get this far,” Barnwell said. “It is one day at a time just asking God for help anyway, anyhow. From a smile to a laugh, that will brighten up my day.”

Visit T&D Datatrack for an in-depth look at South Carolina’s unemployment stats, 1999-current.

TheTandD.com/datatrack

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@times anddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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