From Poverty to two academic degrees
Inner- resilience can help anyone to break certain barriers of poverty which can affect succeeding generation.
Despite the fact that Ms. Jody-Ann Pottinger was pregnant twice before the age of 21 growing up in a rural community, facing daily hunger as well as a period of homelessness. She worked assiduously to gain two university degrees which has lead her to her career path of being a teacher and an entrepreneur.
Aspects of Ms. Pottinger’s resilience included:
Facing herself despite family and community backlash
Hard work and determination
Trust in God
Having neutering support where “one hand washes the other” and being part of a supportive church community.
Our circumstances don’t have to define all of us. All of us have inner potential for success.
Click on the link below to view the full article.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/outlook/20200412/breaking-barriers-one-degree-time
Dr. Turner Pryce who recovered from Stage 2 invasive breast cancer did not go under in despair. She turned adversity into service to help others in similar situations. The lessons we learn from her experiences include;
Being Solution Oriented
Being prepared to do one’s research for better service even to the point of gaining suitable qualifications if necessary
Sharing the positive results of healthy lifestyle changes with others .
Dr. Turner Pryce made promoting healthy lifestyles into a business. She showed enterprise and innovation in sharing. All of us do not necessarily have to go into businesses but we can still display these qualities in other ways as we help others.
Developing her own lifestyle changes including attending self-help or gymnasium-based classes.
Click on the link below to view full article
The Majority of people of African descent came to the Caribbean through slavery. It therefore means that for these persons life has been a struggle of social mobility starting from the plantation. In one sense, the story of the majority Jamaicans is one of how to break the glass ceiling of poverty in order to have a meaningful and fulfilling life.
This is a journey of empowerment.
In Omar Richardson’s own such journey he was prepared to achieve the opportunity to enroll in college by any honest means possible. This included including becoming a street sweeper.
Lessons learn from Omar’s experience include the following:
He has been industrious in his work.
He was not embarrassed to do what seems menial while being a student.
Even though he is a third-year marketing students he still will sweep the street if the need arises. He does his work with pride.
He focuses on careful planning of his time and habits which has ensured a balanced life and academic success.
Omar in his ambitious has sought multiple means of earning.
As someone else said about him “not withstanding the impediments, struggles and difficulties that comes with being a student. He understands hard work is what is necessary to become successful”.
The difference between the plantation and success is the power of internal motivation, determination and vision. This is in contrast to outer shame, lack of confidence and a sense of powerlessness.