Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter

Representatives from the faith-based voluntary organisations that won the top award at The Gleaner Honour Awards ceremony for 2005. The representatives are (from left) Pastor Claude Brown of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency; Reverend John Bartlett of the Pentecostal Tabernacle; Major Devon Haughton of the Salvation Army; Bishop Alfred Reid from the St. Andrew Settlement, and Bradley Finzi-Smith, executive director of Food For the Poor. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

At 65 years old, Thyra Heaven, born in Town-head, Westmoreland, has remained one of the major players in helping the less fortunate.

Mrs. Heaven is tshe child of Cornelius and Mary Reid in a household of nine other children.

When her father died in 1955, her mother had to take care of her along with her nine siblings, alone, teaching young Thyra about being strong as a woman, and about caring for others. Mrs. Reid, at some point or another, was always taking care of other people's children and the ethos of being your brother's keeper caught on.

While admitting to being a hero for the poor all her life, Mrs. Heaven came to prominence in the 'helping people industry' in 1989 when she left Jamaica with her husband Ambassador Derrick Henry, for the United States. While there, she started a group called the Heartbeat of Jamaica.

Worthy causes

The Heartbeat of Jamaica raises funds to help needy children and today, 17 years later, they are still raising funds for those worthy causes.

As a matter of fact, at the last luncheon held by the Heartbeat Of Jamaica, The Mustard Seed Com-munities, another organisation started by Mrs. Heaven, was the recipients of US$20,000 for their various projects.

In 1992, when Mrs. Heaven left the United States and her journeys took her to Japan, she continued her good work despite the distance she was from home.

First Toyota Hiace Bus

From Japan, she gave the Mustard Seed communities its first Toyota Hiace Bus. Mrs. Heaven continued to work in Japan until 1994, before moving on to the United Kingdom.

Once there, her itch to do for others what they couldn't for themselves became too great, and she once again got to work, starting the U.K. branch of Mustard Seed. She worked as head of that branch from 1994-99 before she returned to Jamaica to start one of her most popular groups - Powerful Women Perform for Charity.

While in the United Kingdom, Mrs. Heaven organised contacts that made it easier for people in Jamaica to get things, such as wheelchairs and other aids for the disabled. She also raised money to finance some of these individuals.

Once she came back to Jamaica in 1999, she took up an offer to be on the Mustard Seed board and has been directing their fund raising efforts ever since, eliciting the attention of some of the world's most notable nobles.

On one occasion, Princess Diana, one of the most high profile advocates in the fight against poverty in the world at the time, had promised to come to a dinner here in Jamaica to raise funds.

Unfortunately Princess Diana died tragically in a car accident three weeks before the event was held.

On another occasion, Mrs. Heaven brought the Duchess of Kent to be the patron of one of her fund-raising shindigs, which of course was very successful.

Speaking of success, there hasn't been a fund-raising venture that has been more appealing to the pocket in recent times than has been the case with Powerful Women Perform for Charity, which Mrs. Heaven started in 1999.

Big success

The idea of Jamaica's powerful women performing and showing a side of them rarely seen has caught on as wildfire, and continues to be an annual success, reaping approximately $10 million over the last seven years.

Mrs. Heaven doesn't leave it there though, as she goes to and from the U. S. and the U.K. to earn money for the less fortunate on her own.

The last time she was in the U.K. she earned 5000 pounds for her causes.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed and she has been given award upon award for her service.

An alumni association gave her an award in New York; she was awarded by Heartbeat for service to humanity; she received an award from Caymanas Track Ltd. for voluntary service, and the Mustard Seed Communities has also awarded her for service beyond the call of duty.

Mrs. Heaven has even been revered in Japan where she was awarded by the Latin American/Caribbean Women's association there.

While in the U.K., she received a citation from the Dudley Caribbean Community for outreach to the Caribbean community.

Left: Pooja Gurnani of Mt. Alvernia Preparatory School, in St. James, accepts her Gleaner Youth Honour Award 2005 at The Gleaner Honour Awards ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on November 28, 2005, from Mr. John Issa, a Gleaner Company director. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer   Right: Thyra Heaven - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer