Pamputtae pays it forward

The glitz and glamour of celebrity life often distract us from the humans that exist behind the fame who in many cases have had similar struggles and harsh realities to those who admire them. Peeling back the curtain in her usual candid way, dancehall artiste Pamputtae shared her story of teenage pregnancy with the young mothers at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation on Friday. Through her organisation, the Pamputtae Single Mothers’ Foundation, she returned to the place where she once spent her days to make a contribution in aid of the teen moms.

Twenty girls gathered in the facility’s dining room, eager to meet the recording artiste. Ditching the make-up for a more relaxed look, the God and Time deejay could not help but be emotional as she shared her story.

“Many people see Pamputtae and think ‘Oh Pamputtae, is so nice, she wear tall hair and nails, she is a celebrity and she deh pon TikTok’ and I want to say no, it is not like that. Honestly, coming to the Women’s Centre neva easy. The things that happened and the things they said about me going to school – people dem in the bus in Half-Way Tree a say ‘a long time yuh wah breed’ – I been through a lot of that, and I felt some kind of way. The people dem in the community bash me too. Family members bring me down. Pamputtae been through all of that and I just want to come here and motivate you to let you know that you have a purpose,” she said.

It was clear that the young ladies could relate to much of her story as they nodded in agreement while other were overcome by their emotions and began crying. Pamputtae became pregnant at 15 years old and enrolled in the Women’s Centre after dropping out of high school in the ninth grade. Now her eldest son is 22 and looking back at the hardships she faced, she believed it would be remiss of her not give a helping hand.

FULL-CIRCLE LIKE MOMENT

“The Bible said children will be having children and a it mi see. Mi did lickle just like them and give birth to a nice lickle baby boy. Coming to Women’s Centre and giving back is like a full-circle moment. I really see myself in the girls and I had to let them know I walked this road. I have been there and did that. I have gone through wul heap. Though you are going through stuff right now, don’t give up. Just have faith and pray. Put in the work and pray on it. Everything will manifest,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.

She had hoped to execute the project long before. However, it was thwarted by the pandemic. But now after a successful launch of phase one, she is looking forward to returning and spreading the love to other facilities across the island. According to her, her first-hand experience has given her a full understanding of why this kind of charitable work is important.

“You have a lot of young teenagers here and dem nuh really have it. Probably what they get here not even really enough but a wah dem have dem give so it is good to come here and give back. I was once here in these shoes and this space. I really know and to give back is really good,” she pointed out.

Pamputtae, whose real name is Eveana Henry, used the opportunity to also encourage Jamaicans and people across the world to treat teen mom with more regard as often times the circumstances are not as they seem.

“Yuh cyaa just see people and true dem mek a little mistake in life yuh just throw dem under the bus and walk on them because the stone that the builder refuse will always be the corner headstone. Yuh have to be careful. I prefer you encourage somebody instead of bringing them down and tear them down. A lot of people do that to me and a them same one turn around and say ‘Pamputtae, we proud a yuh’,” she said.

According to data from the World Health Organization, Jamaica has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the Caribbean, with over 60 per cent of all pregnancies occurring among young women between the ages of 15 and 19.

Pamputtae donated snacks and necessities to help the young mothers on their journey. She however is hoping to have more sponsors come on board to help her expand the initiative.

aaliyah.cunningham@gleanerjm.com