Educate for Peace: Transforming lives and communities
Published:Wednesday | January 16, 2019 | 12:00 AMVanessa James/Gleaner Writer
"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands - one for helping yourself, the other for helping others."
- Audrey Hepburn, British actress.
Sujae Boswell and Kemoy Lindsay have made this discovery and have decided to give back to the school and community they grew up in. For this reason, Educate for Peace was created, and since its inception, it has reached out to youth in Norwood, St James, and Ensom City Primary School in Spanish Town, St Catherine.
Educate for Peace was launch in August 2018 in the form of a back-to-school treat held in Norwood. The event was attended by children and parents alike, and they benefited from school supplies, including notebooks, pens, pencils, school bags, and uniforms, as well as other small gifts and gadgets. This was done in an effort to ease the pressure parents face when preparing for the new school year.
SYMBOL OF HOPE
Norwood was selected as Boswell, founder of Educate for Peace, hails from the community and felt the need to give back and enforce positive messages to the youth of the community. "Young people from communities like mine are searching for a symbol of hope. They know that their goals are possible to achieve, but they need reassurance," Boswell said.
Boswell and his team aim to provide a level of support and reassurance that will help youths to reach their full potential. The treat was hosted by 'Talk Up Yout' host Emprezz Golding, which doubled as sponsors, along with the National Baking Company, WATA, and Burger King. Youths ages 15 and up received career advice from the HEART/Trust career coach bus at the launch.
For 2019, Educate for Peace plans to host a series of events and activities across the island that will focus on identity, vision, purpose and maximising potential. The tour will also include a visit from Britain-based motivational speaker, certified cognitive behaviour coach, and empowerment mentor, Christine Giscombe.
Last week Monday, the organisation donated two laptops to Ensom City Primary School, which is the alma mater of Kemoy Lindsay.
"We chose to start with our primary schools as they were the foundations of our learning and we thought it would be fitting to give back in that way, something that would benefit students after us," Boswell said.
The founders hope to inspire others to look back on their own journey and try to help others.
"We have a responsibility to help others attached to each of our blessings, and it is only when we realise this and start to give back that we will truly find our way as a people and find our true purpose and happiness," Lindsay said.
The mandate of the organisation is to use education as a means to create a more peaceful and inclusive Jamaican society.