How One Person’s Idea To Help Needy Children became a Campaign.
ISN’T it funny how the school summer holidays invokes two separate feeling that are polar opposites to each other namely between school children and parents/guardians?
Well it is here once again and whilst the young ones are revelling in the fact that they don’t have any homework and class work to do for two months, they get to lie in longer and go to bed a little later (in many cases) and that they get to play and enjoy being children, parents/guardians on the other hand are left to foot the hefty bill of expenses for the upcoming school term.
Now to those who have never had to deal with such matters, the struggle might never be understood clearly, but to those who know, the outlook could be frightful.
With text books, and I repeat, text books alone reaching costs of over $1500, then comes the cost of exercise and work books, stationery, added items like printing paper, geometry sets, school bags and lunch bags, one could easily add another $200 to that sum.
Let’s by no means forget the other hefty money grabber, uniforms. With overalls for girls costing up to $60 each, trousers and shorts for boys costing between $40 – $60, shirts costing between $30 – $40 and physical education uniforms usually costing $60, one can be prepared to shell out another $500 and oh yeah, we have to get the shoes, socks, ribbons and vests etc, so that’s another $150- $300, depending on your taste in shoes for your little ones.
Now with this $2500 debt hanging overhead, it is no wonder that the ones having to pay it off feel extremely stressed, especially if those fees are hanging over the heads of the less fortunate, namely the unemployed or workers who earn minimal salaries.
It is with this in mind, that parents/guardians can breathe a small sigh of relief as a number of organisations have stepped up to the plate and have extended helping hands to those truly in need of one.
Some of those organisations include Financial Investment & Consultancy Services Ltd. (F.I.C.S), Fast Cash with their “Back To School List – Parents Edition” and the Civil Service Credit Union with their “Educator Loan.”
All of the above mentioned, as well as a small number of banks and loan agencies, have embarked on an initiative aimed at granting loans with compatible and comfortable repayment plans to parents/guardians seeking financial help to purchase the itinerary on the expensive book lists.
With that said, one company has gone above and beyond to help the less fortunate students and their parents/guardians in a bid to ensure that poverty does not prevent the children from being educated.
Fredreika Joseph-Leon, who is the General Manager of M&C Drugstore told The VOICE that this is one initiative that she would like to see not only grow, but also copied because the chances of reaching more children and gracing them with a shot at education will be highly increased.
Joseph-Leon said the initiative began four years ago when she noticed that there were students at the RC Boys Catholic School which her son attended, who were in need of aid as they would either have no food to eat or their uniforms, shoes and bags etc. were badly damaged and in need of replacement.
This was when she began bringing extra meals for some of the boys to ensure that they at least had one proper meal for the day. She would also go further by buying them new books, uniforms and shoes so that they could match their peers in how they presented themselves for school..
Although she tried to keep her good deeds under wraps, they didn’t go unnoticed for long as colleagues picked up on what she was doing and volunteered to join in and make donations themselves.
The movement started by colleagues bringing in used text books so that they could give them away, but then private investors got wind of the initiative and began to sponsor the General Manager and her staff.
Today, the GM visits some of the poorest primary schools across the island and meets with the different principals who would then compile a short list of students who were most in need of help.
With the help of staff, a couple of investors as well from members of the public, Joseph-Leon and her staff then donate those books, along with new school bags and stationery.
They also go the extra step to supply at least one school each year with school uniforms and shoes for the children most in need. The GM said all the managers at the organisation have also taken it among themselves to make monetary donations and give the funds to one school. This will go towards transportation and the school’s feeding programme.
Last year’s donation of $2000 was made to the RC Boys School.
When asked what the pinnacle moment was that made her pursue this movement, Joseph-Leon said it was when she was approached by the primary school’s principal, Julian Monrose who told her that whilst her efforts were much appreciated, she should extend her courtesies to the Marchand Combined School, because whilst there are boys at the RC Boys in need of help, they already have a fair amount of aid coming their way, however, the Marchand school was in dire need of help.
She said when she went to the school, her heart was completely shattered as she saw the extent of the help that was needed.
The M&C GM said there is zero financial gain for her and the company from this initiative. Instead, what is gained is a brighter looking future with up and coming students who will grow into skilled and educated citizens despite their poor upbringing:
“It’s really a need to keep all the children in school. We know that education is the way out of poverty and we want to provide our young people with not just academic education, but we want to make sure that they have a skill, and that they are off the streets…school is the safest place for them right now, especially the boys. Ultimately, it benefits us all because by changing the lives of a few, you create a better future for many.”
Joseph-Leon said throughout the year, there are so many initiatives that the company or staff members independently take part in. However, they refuse to publicise their efforts as they are not searching for fame or publicity for their charitable work. On this occasion,. They want as many to know so that other organisations or even members of the public could create their own version of the initiative, no matter how small their contributions and donations might be.
She said; “We need to remember that we are each other’s keepers and if we look out children other than our own, we can make a difference.”
Joseph –Leon said one major highlight of the initiative was learning from a grateful mother that her son who is a student at the RC Boys School passed for the St. Mary’s College following this year’s Common Entrance Examinations.
She said if anyone is willing to take on the initiative and need tips, they can feel free to call her at 4588140 and she will give as much help as possible.
This year’s initiative has cost the organisation just under $19,000 for text books only and a further $15,000 for exercise books, bags and stationery as well as the uniforms and shoes.
There are 175 students on this year’s list.
