Kenisha Dwyer-Powell – The powerhouse unmatched Pt1

Mandeville, Manchester:

With her larger-than-life personality, Kenisha Dwyer-Powell has the ability to make anyone feel powerful enough to tackle their dreams and conquer the world.

Certainly, one could not expect less from a woman who is eager to one day go skydiving, and not just in any country, but in Paris!

Raised in a small farming community of Inglewood in Manchester, Dwyer-Powell, who is the first of three children for her mother and the seventh child for her father, attributes most of her accomplishments to her humble beginnings.

“I had one of the happiest childhoods, painted with lots of love, fun, and laughter. I can remember accompanying my dad, Danny, and my other dad, my grandfather, Oscar, to visit the farm. There, we would tend to the cows or goats, depending on what was being reared at the time. The best part of those visits, though, was getting a taste of the roast corn or yam and picking coconuts or mangoes, depending on the season.”

She continued: “My sister, Saggie, and I made many fond memories running errands and just sticking close to each other. When I was back home, my sister, Claudine, and I would always dress up in Mummy’s slip heels and pretend to be successful adults. Little did we know that we were visioning our future. Those days spent on the veranda and speaking to the trees by name – they all had their own names – were some of my happiest days as we were living in a dream, and that dream was a happy place.”

Growing up, she always wanted to be a teacher, quite possibly because she not only liked being in control, but she also liked helping people.

This noteworthy trait, she said, was facilitated by her parents, who became her biggest supporter and made it their point of duty to ensure that she had all she needed to be great.

special child

“Both parents always made me know from an early age that I was special, and I could do just about anything that I set my desires on. My overall family saw something in me from an early age as they all held me up as a kind of poster child. They would speak highly about me. Sometimes I wondered if I would live up to those expectations.”

But Dwyer-Powell did not become a teacher. She entered a completely different field and has been there ever since.

“When I left high school, I went straight to work with a prominent bank, and I have never looked back from banking. I have spent the last 22 years in that industry, and it has been most rewarding as I get to help clients make some of the biggest decisions they will ever have to make in their lives.”

From a leading professional, to president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, leader in her community and church, this powerhouse does it all.

“I have never considered it work at JMMB (Jamaica Money Market Brokers) that sees me leading a team of investment experts as we assist our clients in meeting and exceeding their life’s goals. I get to work with talented team members who have similar passion and drive, and not to mention the clients, who bring so much diversity and colour to my days. I have been a member of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce for years and have served in the capacity of director for approximately two years before being elected as president earlier this year. I enjoy this role as I get to work with and learn from my board of directors and the many members and various organisations that I have to interact with.”

She continued: “I founded the People’s Community Club in my district (Green Mount) approximately two years ago, and this project is near and dear to my heart as I get to work with my community peers and help to bring awareness, enlightenment, and development to our causes. I am also president of my youth group at Central Independent Baptist Church, and I know the Lord needs to have a word with me, as in recent weeks, it has been so challenging to juggle all my functions and serve my young people the way they are accustomed to being served. They say that rent is the price we pay to live on Earth, so I am working to see if I can accumulate some advances, and I totally enjoy every second of what I do.”

How does she manage this life as a mother and wife? Join us next week as we share how she balances her roles and still finds time to let her hair down.

familyandreligion@gleanerjmcom