A world where education is free and youth empower youth.
I dream of a world where every child can further their education free of financial burdens, worry or struggle. In this era of technology, many would think we should all know how to read and write but that’s not the case. As of 2016, St. Lucia has a poverty headcount rate of 25% which means ¼ of the population lives in poverty. Every day numerous students go to school without meals or the necessary school supplies. How can we expect them to learn well and excel under these conditions? For as long as I can remember I have always been passionate about helping underprivileged students. I have been heavily involved in youth outreach and student programs and so I have had first hand experiences with students who did not know how to spell their own names. Witnessing this and also having lived in England for a few years, I realized it is possible to provide free education and more resources for all until tertiary level. However, education exists beyond the four walls of a classroom and spans to our experiences and the way we communicate and love each other. The responsibility, therefore, rests on us to come together and make a difference. It is because of this belief I launched an entirely youth-driven non-profit organization called Do Something Different. Our motto “Give a little, Help a lot” speaks to the idea that if we all join forces to make a small contribution, we can have a huge impact on society. Contributions do not just mean donating stationery items but also volunteering our time as young people to empower and uplift other young people to ensure we all succeed together
One of the greatest men who ever lived, Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. I don’t believe he was only referring to textbooks but also the way we rally together to network and pull our resources to help one another when in need. There is no ‘you’ or ‘I’ but ‘us’ and ‘we’ and we are the leaders of tomorrow. I want all students everywhere to get an opportunity to excel regardless of where they come from and their economic background.
Saint Lucia 