Meet a mother of 7 who runs a convenience store from her home in a graveyard, where the living coexist with the dead — but her family is set to be evicted in a few weeks

Marielle DescalsotaJul 8, 2023, 19:12 IST

Gesophine with her husband inside their convenience store.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Several dozen families live in the Chinese Cemetery in Cebu, Philippines.
Gesophine Grama, a resident, runs a convenience store outside her home that's made out of a mausoleum.

Gesophine Grama has lived in a cemetery in Cebu, an island-province in central Philippines, for 11 years. This is where she found solace after living in the harsh streets for many years.

Gesophine outside her house that's made from a mausoleum.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Gesophine Grama has lived in a cemetery in Cebu, an island-province in central Philippines, for 11 years. This is where she found solace after living in the harsh streets for many years.

Grama lives in the Chinese Cemetery in Cebu's Carreta neighborhood. There, many Chinese-Filipinos are buried – but their graves are often in a dilapidated state or turned into makeshift houses.

Small graves where some bodies are buried at the entrance to the Chinese Cemetery in Cebu, Philippines.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama lives in the Chinese Cemetery in Cebu's Carreta neighborhood. There, many Chinese-Filipinos are buried – but their graves are often in a dilapidated state or turned into makeshift houses.

Grama runs a convenience store right outside her home.

Gesophine sells items like snacks, candies, and soda.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama's sari-sari supports her entire family as her husband is unemployed — but it's been far from easy.

Gesophine with her husband inside their convenience store.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama's house is made from a repurposed mausoleum. Right outside, she has a water dispenser for clean water and a small shrine for her patron saint.

Gesophine with her husband selling their convenience store's goods.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Inside Grama's home, it's filled with her family's belongings and several electric appliances — including a flat-screen TV and a large fridge.

Gesophine with her two children inside their home.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama's living area is just a few steps away from her sari-sari store. There she has several handbags and photos of her family.

The family's belongings inside the mausoleum.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama's home has a small kitchen that was stocked with eggs and condiments. She said that most of the time, they eat what's available at their sari-sari store — instant noodles.

Gesophine's kitchen.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama's home has a small kitchen that was stocked with eggs and condiments. She said that most of the time, they eat what's available at their sari-sari store — instant noodles.

Grama's house measures less than 160 square feet and doesn't have any individual rooms.

Gesophine and her family sleep inside the mausoleum.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Grama only has a few weeks at the cemetery before she and her family will be evicted — but she sounded hopeful.

Grama with two of her children.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

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Meet a mother of 7 who runs a convenience store from her home in a graveyard, where the living coexist with the dead &mdash; but her family is set to be evicted in a few weeks

Gesophine Grama has lived in a cemetery in Cebu, an island-province in central Philippines, for 11 years. This is where she found solace after living in the harsh streets for many years.

Grama lives in the Chinese Cemetery in Cebu's Carreta neighborhood. There, many Chinese-Filipinos are buried – but their graves are often in a dilapidated state or turned into makeshift houses.

Grama runs a convenience store right outside her home.

Grama's sari-sari supports her entire family as her husband is unemployed — but it's been far from easy.

Grama's house is made from a repurposed mausoleum. Right outside, she has a water dispenser for clean water and a small shrine for her patron saint.

Inside Grama's home, it's filled with her family's belongings and several electric appliances — including a flat-screen TV and a large fridge.

Grama's living area is just a few steps away from her sari-sari store. There she has several handbags and photos of her family.

Grama's home has a small kitchen that was stocked with eggs and condiments. She said that most of the time, they eat what's available at their sari-sari store — instant noodles.

Grama's house measures less than 160 square feet and doesn't have any individual rooms.

Grama only has a few weeks at the cemetery before she and her family will be evicted — but she sounded hopeful.

Meet a mother of 7 who runs a convenience store from her home in a graveyard, where the living coexist with the dead — but her family is set to be evicted in a few weeks