As a child, I remember my grandmother always voicing her discontent with the nature of adolescents “today”. Her opinion was that times were changing so drastically that children were losing their innocence. While executing the pilot phase of the Through the Eyes of a Child project in Kingston, I was reminded of my grandmother’s concern. What was supposed to be a creative and educational project became so much heavier.
Day one, Simon Mais, Martei Korley, Marsha Lee, and I led a workshop with eleven children from areas around Kingston and St. Catherine. The classroom was arranged as it would be any other day of class for the young men who attend the St Andrew Parish Church Care Center. The main difference this day was that class consisted of both male and female students. Immediately it became clear that the boys had reservations about speaking out. The participation, almost non-existent, prompted Simon, Martei, and I to engage in a heart-felt conversation with the staff at the Care Center. What was preventing them from participating?
Our perception led to an altering of the program to include a writing and discussion period. We wanted to hear from the children themselves. We formulated five simple questions for the children to journal. The responses shed light on something we were already quite aware of, violence in Jamaica. When asked, “If you could have anything in this world right now, what would it be?” The responses surprised us: “My mother to be alive,” “Peace,” “Less violence in my community.” Imagine, we are quick to stigmatize children like these as corrupt products of a changing environment void of morality. The responses caused us to deliberate immediately. What can be done? It was primarily the boys who stressed the violence that plagues them daily. Children ages 12 to 16 who saw friends murdered before their very eyes. Children who lacked the security and encouragement to leave their communities or even to fully engage in the project for fear that a photograph could be misconstrued to “informing.”
We concluded that male mentorship would lead to greater direction and promise for these boys. Some of the gentlemen asked if they could get a mentor on that very day. Sadly, before we could provide the boys with the mentors they requested, a young man, an attendee at the Care Center (school) was stabbed to death by his “friend” over a bike that belonged to him. This December, the student lost his life days before his birthday.
We are currently seeking male mentors. Young professionals or students enrolled in tertiary institutions who visit the island at least once per year are encouraged to apply. If interested, please contact shikira.chang@kiracares.org.
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”