‘It hurts when she asks for her daddy’

Yesterday’s celebration of Mother’s Day was another daunting experience for Michalia Dawkins, the lead beneficiary of the recently relaunched Shining Hope Foundation.

It was a difficult day as it reminded her of single motherhood and the loss of her second child’s father, Anthony Palmer, who was shot and killed on January 20 last year, his daughter’s birthday.

Dawkins’ cry is one shared by several mothers across the island. That is, becoming single mothers after the fathers of their children are murdered, especially when those children are still very young.

Palmer was 32 years old when he died.

Although it’s been a little over a year since Palmer was killed, on days like Mother’s Day, Dawkins’ mourning process intensifies.

“He was like a best friend to me. We never ‘gree at first, but then afterwards, we started getting along together. He would be the person who calls and we would talk a lot, so when he died, I felt empty. I couldn’t sleep at nights,” Dawkins told The Gleaner yesterday.

“I’m not yet over it [his death]. I can tell you that because I still do not accept it. It hurts more when she [our daughter] asks for him,” she said.

At 15 years old, she got pregnant and had her first child, a son, in 2016, when she was just 16.

The matter was reported to the police and the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) got involved in the investigation.

“On one of my visits to CISOCA, I met with Melonia Waugh [the deceased founder of Shining Hope Foundation] who was employed to the Victim Support Unit and was involved in my case management,” Dawkins explained.

Waugh took her under her wing, as she did for other underage mothers. Primarily through the Shining Hope Foundation, Dawkins was able to pursue courses in 2020 to become a certified nurse aide. She also does promotions.

She said the Shining Hope Foundation has restored her hope which had all but disappeared when she first became pregnant and felt like she “couldn’t go anymore”.

“While pregnant, [through the Shining Hope Foundation] I attended the Women’s Centre, sat the Grade Nine Achievement Test in 2019 and was placed at Meadowbrook High. I graduated with four CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) subjects which did not include math. I joined an online math class with the Spanish Town Church of God of Prophecy and attained a pass in the subject,” she said.

Unfortunately, Waugh died on April 8, 2022 due to illness.

... Single mom determined to achieve life goal

Shining Hope Foundation was relaunched on April 23 in honour of its deceased founder, Melonia Waugh, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Michalia Dawkins was present to praise the programme and is intent on becoming a nurse with its help.

“Despite setbacks in my life, I am determined to achieve my life goal to become a nurse. In 2022, I applied to both UWI and EXED, seeking enrolment in their nursing programmes. I was advised that although I had a pass in human and social biology I needed a pass in biology,” Dawkins told The Gleaner.

“With the help of Shining Hope, I am attending classes in biology and my examination fees have been paid for sitting the CSEC, this year, 2023. There are difficulties, as travel from Above Rocks to attend classes at Hagley Park Road is sometimes difficult, especially getting home after classes,” she said.

She has completed her School-Based Assessments (SBAs) for subjects she is pursuing and and is confident that she will do well this year at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) sittings before being enrolled in a university-based nursing programme.

It is former underage mothers, such as Dawkins, who make up the team of family and friends of the foundation’s founder, Melonia Waugh, who have played their part in making it active again.

Timon Waugh, Melonia’s widower, has been pleased to see not only underage pregnant girls benefiting from the Shining Hope Foundation, but, more so, that the foundation has been continued by the persons in whom his wife confided, and those she chose as her friends.

“I made a commitment at her funeral, which was one year ago, that I would ensure that Shining Hope Foundation lives on in honour of her memory and her legacy, and hence, I’m committed to do all that I can, and even more, to ensure that the Shining Hope Foundation not just survives, but actually excels in fulfilling the mission for which she was so committed,” Timon Waugh told The Gleaner recently.

The Waughs were married for 30 years and Timon said Melonia changed his perspective on how donating to others should be done.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com