Dwyer-Powell reminds women they are powerhouses

Mandeville, Manchester:

Women have been deemed, the world over, as the weaker sex from time immemorial. However, this has been refuted many times as women have stepped up to the plate and done more than they themselves ever thought they could do.

Resilience, perseverance and deep tolerance for emotional and physical pain, are just some of the attributes of the world's greatest, most successful women, and client partnership manager at the Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB), Kenisha Dwyer-Powell, won't let us forget that.

Speaking recently at a special young women's forum in Mandeville, Dwyer-Powell shared stories of her struggles before her rise, and encouraged purposeful actions for success even through daunting situations.

"Going back to the time I was age 16, I had many things going through my head: Would I have a decent job? Will I be able to support myself and my family? Will I be able to help other young people?

"High-school years can be rough, worse if you feel like you dunce. I wasn't bright in math, and there were a lot a things going through my head."

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Dwyer-Powell said what made it worse was the fact that she was poor.

"You go to school without lunch money, you didn't know where dinner would be coming from and Mommy didn't know either. I went to deCarteret College and my parents were not married. I was an 'outside' child, but my father was a good father; he ensured I had lunch money and taxi fare, but we were poor just the same."

She continued: "There were many evenings when I came home from school hungry ,and we were sent to the nearby shop to credit something for dinner - and that was pretty much the cycle of our lives. After the summer break, children would come back to school talking about their travels overseas to Disney. I couldn't say anything because I didn't even go to Kingston."

It was always her dream to get a tertiary education, but with no funds, Dwyer-Powell knew it would be near impossible if she did not try to help herself.

"I wrote applications because I knew I needed to work in order to get the money for college. I got a job at Scotiabank, where I worked as a teller."

This woman of substance went on to getting her first degree, a job at JMMB, and is currently pursuing her master's degree - all because she knew she wanted more for herself.

"It's not too late, you can make the change, right where you are; you have to stick to it. There are many things that you can do. If you are a teen mother, determine that you will not have another child until you can take care of him or her. If you have friends who tell you that you cannot do something you want to do, drop them. Your dreams are in your mind, you have to cultivate it and believe that you can do it. That is the first part to being successful. Go around people who will push you to your dreams."

Dwyer-Powell added that one must do much more than think about a plan, but must also write it down, speak it into the universe, and act.

"Write your dreams and goals down. When you write and speak it and throw it out to the atmosphere, that is how things start to happen. Ladies, you are a powerhouse, you can do everything that you put your minds to."

She acknowledged that a lot of people may not know their purpose and that, she says, is absolutely fine.

"Not knowing your purpose gives you time to think and to explore. Through this journey, you will get to the place where you know your purpose. Start to think positive. If you don't think positive, nothing is going to work. What you think is what you draw to you. Work towards what you want and never ever give up," she ended.

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