Mentorship - Break bread, walk and talk with me

Participants in WE-ChangeJA Mentorship Walk at Mary Seacole Hall, UWI.

 Observer column published Monday 1 April 2019

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

How grateful I am to have accepted the invitations of the PSOJ and We-ChangeJA to participate in mentorship events last week.  This exercise is as beneficial to the mentor as it is to the mentee. One sees one’s younger self in the enthusiasm and the energy of these fine Jamaicans, a booster shot of hope for our country’s future.

At the PSOJ mentorship dinner, masterfully facilitated by Membership Chair Christopher Reckord and CEO Makeba Bennett-Easy, we heard from bold young entrepreneurs who are in hot pursuit of their dreams.

There was a couple, students at CMU, Gawan and Camela Hutchinson who noticed that with one cafeteria at the university, they could create a delivery service. And so, “Buy It Fi Mi” was born, and is doing well. We met Monique Powell, owner of the increasingly popular “Quick Plate” another meal delivery service which received kudos from users around the table.

Then there was Christen Romans of “Chrissy’s Coils” who had developed a line of jewelry which is attracting the attention of two central shops. We loved her well-crafted pendant in the shape of Jamaica – the clever young lady wore her pieces so we could see how attractive they were.

Khadine Daley of KhadsComm recently started her PR company. I assured her that once you develop those PR skills, you are equipped to launch into multiple other areas of endeavour, as you are constantly learning about various industries and honing your communication skills.

The inspiring Cordell Williams-Graham of the Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA) shared her book “Seeds for the Heart – God’s promises for Peace Prosperity and Victory”. It is infused with the positivity which we all agreed was a driving force for success.

Mickhail Bevas of Skyring Entertainment exuded confidence – he has impressed clients with his versatility in audio visual and event management. Sponsor for the evening was Scotiabank represented by Acting Vice President Earl Blake, SME Development Director Avril Leonce and Public Affairs & Corporate Manager Hope McMillan-Canaan. Mr Blake shared the “ABC” of success: Attitude, Behaviour and Character. 

On Saturday, We-ChangeJA invited us to a Global Mentorship Day event hosted by Nadeen Spence at Mary Seacole Hall. We walked around Ring Road, sharing thoughts and affirmations.  How fortunate I was to have a reasoning students Fiona, Shazz and Tash. These young women volunteer for various causes and are members of the “I Am Glad I Am A Girl” movement. They are driven by a passion for service and excellence. 

Fellow mentors Judith Wedderburn and Patricia Donald Phillips shared their life’s journey, urging the students to create a vision of their future, and work towards it.  We acknowledged that sometimes women demand too much of ourselves, shying away from leadership roles. We applauded the ambition of the students and planned future meetings. Gratitude to WE-Change, the Vital Voices Partnership Network and Mary Seacole Hall for an uplifting morning.