The African proverb, It takes a village to raise a child, has been played out in the life of Kenika Gumbs of Rock Farm, Anguilla. She tragically lost her mother when she was about five years old, but was surrounded by a number of caring persons who have helped her on in life.
Now, at nineteen, and a graduate of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, the lovely young woman is going off to Oldham College, a leading vocational institution just outside Slough in England, for a two-year degree course in Business Studies in the first instance. Her first year is being paid from a scholarship fund created for her by those persons who each contributed EC$10 a month or EC$120, in full, for one year.
Kenika’s mother, Teacher Kendra Brookes, taught at the then Island Harbour Primary School (now Vivien Vanterpool Primary School) for thirteen years. In 2001 the dedicated teacher unfortunately met her death while swimming in Road Bay when she was struck by a high velocity toy power boat. Five-year-old Kenika was left without a mother to help direct her life. Soon after, a number of Teachers’ Union members began contributing to a fund towards Kenika’s eventual tertiary education. Eventually, various civil servants and other persons joined in as well. A notable contributor was former Minister of Education, Mr Eric Reid.
Mrs Verna Fahie was then the Chief Education Officer. “We have reached a point where we are now handing over some scholarship money to Ms Kenika Gumbs, daughter of Teacher Kendra, who passed away in 2001,” Mrs Fahie said at the presentation ceremony at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on Friday, August 15. “At the time, we were all saddened by the event, but we thought we would all do something positive rather than just sit down and be saddened. We couldn’t do anything for Teacher Kendra, but she had a daughter – Kenika. So we decided to put a little pressure on Kenika at primary education where she was then, and for her to go on to secondary education.
“We thought we would make a contribution at least to her first year of tertiary education, thus looking to the future for her. We asked each teacher to contribute ten dollars per month for a year to a fund. Other people from the Ministry of Education, even the custodians in the school, and other civil servants, also chipped in and gave the same contribution. That fund has been on the bank in a fixed deposit since then until we know that Kenika is ready to go to college.
“We were thinking that we would be able to give her something for her first semester in college. It turned out that the amount grew to the point where we could fund the first academic year.” Ms Fahie explained that when the donations were collected in 2001 the amount was EC$13,150.68. Over the years, that fixed bank deposit grew to EC$22, 810.00 which has now been presented to Kenika.
Since then, Mrs Fahie retired from the post of Chief Education Officer. Asked why she was at the presentation, she replied: “They called me and said, ‘this is a historical thing which you started. Come back and finish it.”’
Mr Bernard Wattley, now Director of Library Services, was President of the Teachers’ Union at the time. He had this to say: “It is good that out of tragedy can come something wonderful. I would like to extend our best wishes to young Kenika, and I trust that she will go from strength to strength.”
Mrs Tracelyn Hamilton, Principal at the Vivien Vanterpool School, recalled: “Kendra was my best friend and I am Kenika’s godmother. When she passed, I took the role of taking Kenika to school, attending PTA meetings and supporting her.”
The current President of the Anguilla Teachers’ Union is Mrs Emma Ferguson. “I just want to say that this is all an example of the African proverb being actualised that: ‘It takes a village to raise a child,”’ she said.
Kenika’s response was: “I feel great at the moment. I am blessed to have an opportunity like this.” She added “Thanks for your love and support. This will definitely be a great asset to my life in college. I dreamed it. I believed it and now its time for me to achieve it.”
