Farm worker’s sacrifice fuels daughter’s dream

For 19-year-old Shantoya Smikle, the journey to law school is rooted in the sacrifice of her father, Mark Smikle, a seasonal farm worker in Canada, whose years of labour have helped to cultivate her dream career.

Now a first-year law student at The University of the West Indies, Shantoya remains keenly aware that her place in the classroom is as a result of the long months her father spent working in extreme temperatures to provide for his family.

For nearly three decades, her father, a resident of Manchester, has participated in Canada’s farm work programme, spending up to five months at a time away from home.

The Manchester High School alumna and former head girl was overjoyed when she learnt that she had been awarded a scholarship through her father’s participation in the programme. She is one of six recipients of the inaugural JN Money Fields of Opportunity Scholarship, presented at The Jamaica National Group’s corporate offices on February 13.

“I’m just grateful for the work that my dad has put in over the years. It has contributed more to both me and my sisters than he will ever know,” Shantoya said in reflection.

“It’s really a blessing. My tuition is a lot of money, and this is just helping me to focus on my studies better. I’m really grateful that I was awarded it. I never really thought that I would ever get a scholarship from that (farm work programme). I was very happy to see that there was one that I could have gained because of him. You don’t see many scholarships like that.”

Despite the distance that often physically separates them, the bond between Shantoya and her father remains strong.

“We talk almost every day. If we don’t hear from each other, something is wrong,” she pointed out.

Smikle, who also works as a taxi driver and operates a farm while in Jamaica, explained that he joined the farm work programme to create greater financial stability for his family.

“I find where it could work to better my family and educate my family more. The farm work helped me so much that I could help my wife through college, and I sent two other daughters to college,” he related.

He is pleased that his daughter emerged as one of the scholarship recipients.

“I really feel good about it. I really appreciate it,” he said.

The youngest of three daughters, Shantoya, a practising Christian, said her decision to study law was divinely directed. Upon completing her degree, she will become the first attorney in her family.

Her mother, Janice Smikle, a schoolteacher, shared that her husband’s commitment to the family has remained consistent over the years.

“My husband has been travelling from 1999, and he wanted to stop last year; but since she (Shantoya) transitioned to tertiary institution, he wants to continue to help her financially, and I know she’s grateful for that,” she disclosed.

Mrs Smikle expressed that her greatest wish is for her daughter to walk in the will of the Lord, achieve success, and become one of the best lawyers.

Still fresh out of high school, Shantoya is still learning to adjust to the rigours of university life.

“They always say university is very different and it is, but I’ve learnt to rely on some approaches that I took when I was in high school and it’s working out. I don’t take notes in class. I listen, get what they’re saying, and afterwards I make my own notes. Once I grasp the concept, it works so much better for me.”

That strategy has contributed to her strong first-semester performance, earning a 3.68 grade-point average.

Sanya Wallace-Innerarity, assistant general manager for strategy, marketing and sales at JN Money Services (JNMS), said the Fields of Opportunity Scholarship acknowledges the dedication of seasonal agricultural workers while supporting the academic aspirations of their children.

“For years, these men and women have laboured overseas, often separated from their families, to create opportunities back home. This initiative is one way of recognising that sacrifice and ensuring it translates into meaningful advancement for the next generation. When we invest in students like Shantoya, we are investing in Jamaica’s future leaders. We are proud to stand alongside them as they pursue their dreams.”

Launched last July, the scholarship programme was executed in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security through its Jamaica Liaison Service, under a July 2024 MOU between the Ministry and JN Money Services Canada Limited, a subsidiary of JNMS, to strengthen social support for Jamaican farm workers in Canada.

Wallace-Innerarity noted that applicants must have participated in Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme for at least three years, maintained a minimum two-year customer relationship with JN Money, conducted at least one transaction per month since the start of the 2025 programme, and ensured that their children maintained at least a B average on their most recent school report.