- Photo by Marlene McPherson
Inez Griffiths Hamilton is now studying at the Excelsior Community College to become a nurse.
Marlene McPherson, Outlook Writer
OUTLOOK met Inez Griffiths Hamilton at the Excelsior Community College. She demonstrated a fixity of purpose, an energetic worker and a woman who is goal-driven.
Underpinning her success is her start as a domestic helper. Today she is studying to be a nurse and sees learning as a life long activity. She tells her story.
"I was born at Fountain Road, Bath, St. Thomas. I was raised by my grandparents who are both deceased. My life was a struggle, moreso during my formative years.
"I attended Bath Primary and Stokes Hall Junior Secondary schools; during my years at Stokes Hall, I cannot remember spending a full term in any one year for the three years I was privileged to attend. My grandmother said that she did not have it and she had her own children to send to school. In the same breath, I had to help take care of smaller cousins and another sibling that my grandmother took. She worked at the University Hospital as a ward maid and we only saw her once every two weeks: Monday and Wednesday mornings.
Forced to work
"At 15 years old I was forced to work as a domestic helper with a family of five. I did this for a few months, then I worked on the beautification programme at Bridgeport in 1979. On completion, I went back to work as a domestic helper because I had no skills.
"I had my first child at age 18 and I worked on the river training programme to provide for my daughter and myself from as early as she was five months old. This was a wake-up call for me. Studying the Bible with Jehovah Witnesses, I started to see life from a different perspective. I continued to work as a domestic helper with the aim of saving my money. I started to peddle then I got married but this too had its fair share of drama.
"On one of my selling routes in Port Morant, I saw the sign 'Miluajah Practical Nursing School'. I went inside and enquired about the programme. I did not have the financial backing to start this programme, so I turned to poultry farming and days work.
Long time to save
"With my daughter completing high school, it took me a long time to save the money. In order to be successful at this new venture, I sold a freezer to make up the money to enter the school. My training as a practical nurse was difficult and life seem unbearable. However, I was successful.
"I went to a doctor's office and asked his secretary if I could get work there. She asked me if I had subjects, I replied, 'subjects? I cannot pass subjects.' She laughed. With this new idea of getting subjects for qualifications, I set about doing this. Within two years I got four Jamaica School Examination Certificate (JSC) and one General Certificate of Examination subject (GCE). Later I concentrated on three CXC subjects and was successful with two at distinctions.
Enrolled in nursing school
"Currently, I am enrolled in the Nursing School at the Excelsior Community College, Princess Margaret Hospital and I am happy.
"My son Howayne is a great inspiration to my success. He has helped me with my school-based assessments and he, too, has been successful and is currently a sixth former at Wolmer's Boys School. My daughter is also a successful banker.
"I share this experience so that others can see that with the right crowd, right motivation, we can achieve in life. If it wasn't possible in our early years, whatever the reason, we can take it step by step."
