St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) was honoured to host the annual “Our Boys Matter” (OBM) Retreat at its Cul-de-Sac power station. The retreat welcomed young males enrolled in the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) OBM programme, marking their first visit to the power station and the first time LUCELEC hosted the annual retreat for fifth-formers and tertiary-level members of the programme.
The OBM students, affectionately known as “The OBM Boys” experienced a bittersweet moment as many of them will soon graduate from the programme that has significantly contributed to their educational success to date. The initial nerves quickly dissipated as they settled in for the day’s training, held in a new and unfamiliar setting linked to the major sponsor who enabled it.
LUCELEC initially donated $50,000 to kickstart the Our Boys Matter programme seven years ago and its support continues to the present day. Programme Coordinator Reynel Stephen says OBM caters to 12- to 21-year-old males who have an interest in schools but face challenges in realizing their full potential.
“The aim of the programme is to provide whatever assistance necessary, using a holistic approach to provide those students with what they need to further their education, complete secondary school or if the case may be where we have to find an alternative pathway for them because not all students are academically inclined. So, we have a number of students at CARE and some of them are also doing courses and we have a few as well that have moved on to Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and the ‘A Level Department at Vieux-Fort (VFCSS).”
Our Boys Matter has expanded its scope, dividing its students into zones that are overseen by an officer tasked with school and home visits, working with the students, school and family to ensure a comprehensive support system for each child’s success.
The SSDF Executive Director John Victorin emphasised the importance of the right mindset for success.
“There’s no shortcut to this. Success requires an investment of energy; an investment of time and it requires consistent performance at that. It can’t be today you wake up and feel I’m going to excel today – it’s not about excelling today, it is about excelling consistently over a prolonged period throughout your own lifetime. That is what will make a difference.”
LUCELEC Assistant System Control Engineer Landy Wallace echoed this sentiment in his presentation, ‘The Right Flight Attitude’ encouraging the young males to “Fly with purpose, fly with confidence, and always have the right flight attitude!”
LUCELEC Senior Manager, Corporate Communications Omari Frederick, also addressed the students, acknowledging the challenges they face in achieving success.
“The times you are facing now are harder than ever. The number of distractions you have before you, the number of pressures that are pulling you in a number of different directions. It is a true test of your mettle at the very core so stay on that right path, see that end goal in mind and understand that to get there, that journey is the most critical part.”
The students expressed their gratitude for the programme and the support they received. CARE Odsan student Natalius Francis shared, “I’m honoured to be here through this retreat because I’m so thankful for them because they helped me and my late mother for where I am today, so I want to say thank you to LUCELEC for sponsoring the OBM and thank you to the SSDF and OBM officers too.”
Devante Serieux, a second-year A’ Level student at Vieux-Fort added, “Being part of Our Boys Matter has provided me with educational support, guidance and the motivation to strive for more. This programme has been a source of encouragement and for that, I am truly thankful.”
Keshaun Francis from the CARE Anse-la-Raye campus expressed his appreciation, saying, “For me, I am very happy to know that LUCELEC and SSDF put together this programme for us young boys to keep us off the streets and help us.”
The retreat concluded with a tour of the LUCELEC Power Station and the distribution of tokens in recognition of students’ hard work during their final year. The event reinforced the importance of education, mentorship, and support in shaping the future of our young males.