Importance of a visible house number
Jean goes from door to door asking house owners if they would like their number painted.
Have you ever sat and thought for a moment on how important a visible house number is, especially in an emergency.
One resident from eMalahleni is helping other residents within the community to make that possible as she paints big visible house numbers on the sidewalk.
Many motorists will have seen a woman sitting on the tarmac with a reflective jacket, painting away.
Her name is Jean Human; she has been painting house numbers and street names for a living for the last nine years.
Jean used to be a paramedic years ago, she loved her job.
“I recall the most frustrating part of being a paramedic is looking for a house number, you know the person or family need you at the house immediately, yet you’re wasting valuable time driving up and down looking for the correct house number,” said Jean.
Currently, Jean is painting approximately four numbers a day.
“If I am lucky I will paint five houses,” said Jean.
Jean goes from door to door asking house owners if they would like their number painted.
“I enjoy it; you meet all people from all walks of life. Some are miserable, but most times I get to meet really nice people,” continued Jean.
She uses road marking paint, she takes her time in doing each number and name.
Before Jean starts to work, she sits down and cleans the area she will be working on.
She paints the number and name in white and puts a black background behind it, finished off with a sprinkle of glitter.
“I am grateful for the work I have done so far, I just pray that I receive more work,” said Jean.
Jean is not afraid to work, her only disadvantage at this moment is that she walks to all her various clients, so it takes her a while to get to the client.
But getting to the client to paint their sidewalk she will do no matter where it is.
“At this point, I think I am the walking atlas of eMalahleni, I just about know where all the streets are,” said Jean.
Jean asks R100 for just the number to be painted or R150 for the street name and number.
“I am renting a place now weekly, it would be so nice to have enough money to rent a place monthly,” said Jean.
Jean continued: “the only let down is when it rains, then you lose a day of work.”
If you would like your house number and street name to be painted on the sidewalk, contact Jean on 066 086 9647.
