COJO presents scholarships to three wards of the State
Published: Wednesday | May 23, 2012
Twenty-year-old
Rasheid Powell grew up in the Muirton Boys' Home in Portland and has
high hopes of embarking on a career in media.
But Rashied's
dreams were almost shattered due to a lack of finances to complete
his studies in mass communication at Northern Caribbean University,
where he is in his first year.
Powell, who was
successful in seven subjects in the Caribbean Secondary Education
Certificate examinations, said he thought his plans of breaking a
cycle of poverty by furthering his education would come to an end
after being unable to meet the financial requirements at the tertiary
institutions.
Despite getting
a stipend from a job he does on campus, along with assistance from
other institutions, he was still finding it difficult to cope.
"It wasn't
going too good for me in terms of finances, and so I was not able
to do final examinations last semester. I didn't know where to get
the money from, and so I made arrangements with my dean to do the
examinations next semester," he lamented.
But Powell is
among three proud wards of the State who yesterday received US$3,000
each, along with laptops from Children of Jamaica Outreach Inc (COJO),
a United States-based non-profit organisation.
"I didn't
know where the money was coming from to complete, but with the help
of COJO, I am now back on track and can continue my studies,"
he said.
The other recipients
are Samantha Mitchell and Frederick Gordon, who are in their first
year at Bethlehem Moravian College and Moneague College, respectively.
Speaking during
a scholarship luncheon at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston
where the awards were handed out yesterday, GraceKennedy Group CEO
Don Wehby zeroed in on the lack of care for some of the nation's children,
saying not much has been done to rescue them when they are in need
of proper care and protection.
Failing our
children
Wehby said while
there was legislation to protect children, action to support this
has fallen short.
"The Vision
2030 National Development Plan tells us that out of the nearly one
million Jamaican children, roughly 37 per cent of them are among the
most abused, the most vulnerable, and the poorest. If Jamaica is to
be the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business,
we need to address that," he argued.
Wehby added that
the care and protection of children was an issue that goes beyond
what parents and guardians do or don't do.
"This is
society's responsibility. An old African proverb tells us that it
takes a whole village to raise a child. It means that the entire community
must look out for the interests of children. I am not certain we have
stayed true to this," he said.
Wehby said the
National Parenting Policy tabled in Parliament last year was one way
to elevate the crucial issue of parenting on the national agenda so
that it could get the attention it deserves.
COJO's mission
is to help improve the health, education, and general well-being of
underprivileged children.
Over the past
decade, the volunteer-driven organisation has supported a number of
institutions in Jamaica as well as the United States. Among them are
the Alpha Boys' Home, the Glenhope Place of Safety, and the Marigold
Child Care Centre.
Founder and chairman
of COJO Gary Williams said the organisation has so far given US$17,000
in scholarships to persons in institutions so that they could complete
their studies at the tertiary level.
nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com
Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120523/lead/lead4.html
