Brian Bonitto, Overseas Editor
Fairy godmother: Alicia Bowen, president of the Hannah Town Community Development Benevolent Society.
LIKE ANY other inner-city community, Hannah Town is 'governed' by the code of silence. Residents of this west Kingston enclave are cautious as to how much information they divulge and to whom.
However, despite their best efforts, the walls unhesitatingly tell a story of everyday life. They speak of neglect, unemployment, political allegiance, fallen brothers and retribution.
But hidden behind these walls are untold stories of hope and survival.
Fairy godmother
Six years out of her teens, Alicia Bowen is fairy godmother to the community. And, as president of the Hannah Town Community Development Benevolent Society, she and her team make dreams come true.
"My role as president is to seek out development opportunities for the community ... and be chief negotiator," said the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) final-year student in an interview with The Gleaner on a recent visit to the community.
Having grown up without a father, Alicia's life could have been different if it were not for the scholarship she received through the Prime Minister's Office, while serving as a team member of the Society, which she now leads. In fact, her enthusiasm for community work caught the attention of an agent of the Citizens Security and Justice Programme, who championed her cause.
The society was set up in 2002 to, among other things, keep alive the police youth club, the parent-teachers association, the women's drama group and the women's movement in Hannah Town and find sources of funding for bright students who have ambitions to further their education.
Among them are several young men who have chosen an academic path to success.
Paul Coleman, second-year Pure and Applied Science student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) feels that he is not exceptionally bright but fortunate, as there are many more talented and smart young men in Hannah Town dreaming of a better life.
"There are other persons in the community who have the same potential as me ... they are just victims of a lack of opportunities," said the 20-year-old aspiring computer engineer.
Paul believes that his life is being guided by God, but he has contributed to his success through hard work.
As for Dwight 'Tommy' Robinson, who anxiously awaits his ascension to the hallowed halls of the UWI Mona campus, he sees this next step in his life as one which will empower him and his community. He plans to remain in Hannah Town and influence a change for good, so that his children can grow up there without experiencing the pain of death which he has encountered throughout his life.
"Since last year, I have personally known 26 persons who have been killed," said the 23-year-old.
A former president of Hannah Town's youth club and University of Technology (UTech) student, Jermaine Brown, works full time to fund his tertiary education. He has never benefited from the scholarship programme, but has high praise for the society and the work it does to uplift the community.
"It is a good thing. It gives the youth an opportunity to make something of themselves," he said.
Jermaine, a 20-year-old Kingston College old boy, is currently employed to Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) and plans to attend school full-time while working full time as of Monday (August 28).
"In life you have to make sacrifices ... I work on a flexible shift so I have to juggle it," he said.
But how is he able to study in an environment which is so volatile and disruptive? "Gunshots don't terrify me ... that's the least now. I have to find a way to study and I do," Jermaine explained.
His statement echoes Alicia's philosophy that: "It does not matter where you live ... what matters is your determination to achieve."
Together these youngsters represent a bright future for the community and are rewriting the story of Hannah Town in the history books.
Caribbean University final-year student in an interview with The Gleaner on a recent visit to the community.
Having grown up without a father, Alicia's life could have been different if it were not for the scholarship she received through the Prime Minister's Office, while serving as a team member of the society which she now leads. In fact, her enthusiasm for community work caught the attention of an agent of the Citizens Security and Justice Programme, who championed her cause.
Society of hope
The society was set up in 2002 to, among other things, keep alive the police youth club, the parent-teacher association, the women's drama group and the women's movement in Hannah Town and find sources of funding for bright students who have ambitions to further their education.
Among them are several young men who have chosen an academic path to success.
Paul Coleman, second-year Pure and Applied Science student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), feels that he is not exceptionally bright but fortunate, as there are many more talented and smart young men in Hannah Town dreaming of a better life.
"There are other persons in the community who have the same potential as me ... they are just victims of a lack of opportunities," said the 20-year-old aspiring computer engineer.
Paul believes that his life is being guided by God, but he has contributed to his success through hard work.
As for Dwight 'Tommy' Robinson, who anxiously awaits his ascension to the hallowed halls of the UWI, Mona campus, he sees this next step in his life as one which will empower him and his community. He plans to remain in Hannah Town and influence a change for good, so that his children can grow up there without experiencing the pain of death which he has encountered throughout his life.
"Since last year, I have personally known 26 persons who have been killed," said the 23-year-old.
A former president of Hannah Town's youth club and University of Technology student, Jermaine Brown, works full-time to fund his tertiary education. He has never benefited from the scholarship programme, but has high praise for the society and the work it does to uplift the community.
"It is a good thing. It gives the youth an opportunity to make
something of themselves," he said.
'Juggling it'
Jermaine, a 20-year-old Kingston College old boy, is currently employed to the Shipping Association of Jamaica and on Monday started school full-time while working full-time.
"In life, you have to make sacrifices ... I work on a flexible shift so I have to try and juggle it," he said.
But how is he able to study in an environment which is so volatile and disruptive? "Gunshots don't terrify me ... that's the least now. I have to find a way to study and I do," Jermaine explained.
His statement echoes Alicia's philosophy that: "It does not matter where you live ... what matters is your determination to achieve."
Together these youngsters represent a bright future for the community and are rewriting the story of Hannah Town in the history books.
MISSING YOU: Images of fallen loved ones decorate 'the corners'. - Photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
