We are delighted to share Lowrie-Chin’s post on Blogspot highlighting the outstanding GraceKennedy Heather Little-White Household Worker of the Year awardees on their courtesy call visit to the Governor General on April 15.
Let’s salute these amazing women!
The 2015 GraceKennedy Champion Household Worker Rosetta Steer and runners-up Jasmin Miller, Donna Elizabeth Smith, and Jamaica Household Workers Union (JHWU) President Shirley Pryce were warmly received at King’s House last Friday by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen. The company’s Communications Director Simone Clarke-Cooper and Executive Chef Mazie Miller accompanied the second set of winners, who demonstrated not only good housekeeping skills, but care and concern for their communities.
GraceKennedy 2015 Household Workers of the Year arrive at King’s House with Shirley Pryce (2nd left), President of the Jamaica Household Workers Union
The GG observed that household workers were invaluable to our productivity. He said that the busiest of persons, including those in leadership positions, look forward to returning to their homes at the end of the day, and remarked that it was because of dedicated household workers that many of us could enjoy an orderly home. I mentioned that the sacrifices made by Fanny Ricketts, our family’s household worker of blessed memory, inspired me to propose this award, which was readily embraced by GraceKennedy
Nominated by the two diplomats for whom she does housekeeping, the dignified Rosetta
GG Most Hon Sir Patrick Allen greets Donna Elizabeth Smith, 2nd Runner-Up while Rosetta Steer, GK Household Worker of the Year (in yellow) and 1st Runner-Up Jasmin Miller look on
Steer used some of her $350,000 prize money to complete her course in practical nursing. “It is hard to work and study,” she said, “but with prayer I am getting there.” Jasmin Miller is winding up her City & Guilds course in housekeeping, while mentoring children in her Spanish Town community. Donna Elizabeth Smith was nominated by media maven Fae Ellington, her next door neighbour, who noted her devotion as caregiver to a 103-year-old lady.
The International Game Technology, through its After School Advantage Programme, recently donated eight desktop computers and a printer to Mary’s Child, a Mustard Seed Communities’-run home for abandoned teen mothers.
The After School Advantage programme provides vulnerable children and young people with access to technology by donating computers and related equipment and education software.
Ann-Dawn Young-Sang, Regional vice-president of IGT Caribbean, while commending the founder of Mustard Seed, Monsignor Gregory Ramkissoon, and his team, said that the presentation of the computers was a continuation of a long-term partnership. Last year September, IGT donated a computer centre to Jerusalem Children’s Home, also run by Mustard Seed Communities.
Mary’s Child was designed in 1992 as a programme to provide a secure and spiritual environment for abandoned pregnant teenagers. Today it is one of 10 homes operated by Mustard Seed and currently houses 17 teenage mothers. An additional seven are expected in coming weeks.
“What we have is a programme that gives support to pregnant teenagers,” said Administrator Nadia Williams.
“Most of them come to us through the court system, because they are in need of care and protection. (As a result of the fact that) they are unable to go to school, because they are pregnant, we provide academic continuation and skills training while they are here. We also work with the Child Development Agency (CDA) in getting them reinstated with a family member who can assist [because] sometimes the abuse took place at home and they cannot go back to that facility. So, if there is a grandmother or aunt we will work with the CDA to get them reintegrated.
“The beauty about it is that they will go back with a skill to offset some of the cost that comes with raising a child while they further their education,” Williams said.
Reacting to the donation, one of the teens who has been living at the institution for approximately eight months now said she felt heartened.
“I feel great today to know that I am at a home and that we are getting support from outside,” she said.
Another ward concurred: “I am grateful for the contribution.”
This story was first published in the Jamaica Observer on Sunday, March 27
Not long ago, 31-year-old Latoya Williams was facing the reality of being homeless and unemployed with four children, and local authorities threatening to take her children from her. Now, she says she has much to give thanks for, primarily because Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica recently gave her a house.
Williams, who now resides along St John’s Road in St Catherine, was evicted because she was unable to pay her rent. With nowhere to live, authorities told her they would take her children from her and place them in care of the State. After being told this, Williams developed a plan to get a house.
“I used to buy and sell downtown with goods such as bag juice and cookies, but I haven’t been selling since the year began because things got hard on me. I would borrow to buy the goods, and when things don’t turn over with a good profit, I can’t repay,” Williams said in an interview.
“Then I couldn’t pay the rent or send the children to school, so I got evicted. With all of what was going on, I went to Food For The Poor with the hope of applying for a house and getting it. I was told I needed a letter from a Justice of the Peace and my grandmother who owns the land the house was built on, so I went and got those and submitted it, then they selected me for a house.”
FFP Jamaica along with Rainforest Seafoods Limited built the house for Williams during Holy Week.
Roger Lyn, Marketing Manager at Rainforest Seafoods, presents Ms Williams and her children with the keys to their new home.
“I am so grateful. Mi did think mi did ina one gutter weh mi couldn’t come out of, but with the house Food For The Poor gave to me, is like I am coming out of the gutter. All I need to do now is start sell again, and I have another plan for that. I just need a freezer and go downtown and start buy the bag juice them in a big bulk and store them in the freezer,” Williams said.
David Mair, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, said when the case for Williams was presented to his team, they could not resist assisting.
“When you saw her story, you would have been heartbroken. Immediately after she was evicted, she was literally on the street with her children. She came to us, presented her case and showed us the documents regarding her eviction and her case with the court and her children. We had to assist her, because without a house, she would have lost her children,” Mair said.
He further stated, “Our first 5K Run/Walk which was held in 2015 had a focus of raising funds to build houses for mothers who are in dire need of houses. Our 5K was also planned for May, on the Eve of Mother’s Day, because we see a greater amount in applications being submitted by mothers who need relief assistance along with their children. Williams is one of those mothers. It is so fitting that she has gotten a house two weeks before we launch our next 5K Run/Walk on April 5.”
Rainforest Seafoods are the sponsors who donated the funds needed to construct the house. Roger Lyn, Marketing Manager of the company, said when Marsha Burrell, Development/Marketing Manager, FFP Jamaica called and presented the case to him, his team could not resist assisting.
“When you heard and saw the circumstance of this family, you would have been heartbroken. We had to help. It was a no-brainer, because Rainforest Seafoods is all about family, and keeping families together. We have done work with Food For The Poor before and we were proud to partner with them in building a house again,” Lyn said.
Williams expressed gratitude to both organisations for helping her.
“I am so grateful. I could not afford a house because I started out wrong in life, and my parents could not afford to give me a good education. When I was to do Caribbean Examination Council subjects, my mother seh she can’t pay fi dem. Dem fi send mi home. After leaving school I have to be buying and selling. I made mistakes, but I want better for my children,” the single mother said.
Such an amazing initiative being implemented by Colgate! Happy to know that our little ones across the length and breadth of our island will be able to benefit from dental care and oral care education campaigns. Definitely something to smile about 🙂
Colgate is a household name that I grew up with. It simply means “toothpaste.” When it comes to dental health awareness, there is no doubt we can’t start young enough. Here is the latest on Colgate’s new mobile unit, which visited the Union Gardens Infant School recently. There’s a “cuteness alert” on the photos, by the way! (Provided by ProComm).
The Colgate mobile dental unit – ready for the road…
Kingston, Jamaica – April 25, 2016: Thousands of the island’s children are again set to benefit from top-quality dental care with the re-launch of Colgate’s Mobile Dental Unit, a critical component of Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures school program. The Unit was re-launched at a special event held at Union Gardens Infant School in Kingston on April 7, 2016.
Colgate’s programme is a global oral health initiative launched in Jamaica in 1969, in association with the Ministries of Health and…
Jamaica Highlights 