Teens to help kids battling depression

Sixteen-year-old Ledira Fearon and her team are geared at making an impact on the lives of children, especially those plagued by mental health issues across Clarendon. The team is expected to launch an organisation mandated to offer support to children battling depression.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extreme depression can lead a child to think about suicide or plan for suicide, one of the leading causes of death in youth ages 10-24 years.

Ledira and her siblings, 13-year-old Ledrea and 10-year-old Jaden, and their friend, 14-year-old Amelia Chin, have pooled efforts together to bring about a positive change.

Though the quartet has long been carrying out charitable ventures which include providing meals and clothes for a homeless man, Ledira said an incident involving a child from their community in the central Jamaica parish propelled their focus on mental health in children.

“An incident happened in our community and that ignited our passion for helping and serving our community,” said Ledira.

Charity event

The team recently hosted an event, geared at providing support and needed resources for children. The group lauded members of the business community, and political representatives who came on board to see the fruition of the project. Some 50 children across the parish benefited under the initiative.

“We also got a wish list from a children’s home, and we were able to grant all of their wishes. Some of the proceeds from the money that was donated will go towards the family of the child who had the incident to start a small a business, and also to pay for counselling sessions for children going through depression and stress,” Ledira told The Gleaner.

Ledira’s sister Ledrea noted an overwhelming response to the initiative. “The children were very grateful for their gifts. I can say they had a good time and we had a great experience,” she said.

According to Amelia, the onset of the pandemic, which restricted social interactions, had forced children in what she described as a “gloomy mood”.

“My friends and I decided that actions needed to be taken to lift the mood of the children in the community,” said Amelia, whose grandmother, Faye Chin is also a fervent supporter of the children’s group.

The Fearons’ mother, Indira Fearon, noted that the family is big on charity. She believes the family’s charitable ventures over the years served as an inspiration for her children.

“They grow up seeing us doing those stuff, so I guess that motivated and inspired them more to want to do it on their own,” the mother said.

The group’s youngest, 10-year-old Jaden, learned a valuable life lesson.

“I made the children smile and I learned that I should appreciate everything that I have,” he said.

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