STORIES of triumph and resilience were prominent among recipients of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Power-up Community Renewal Primary Exit Profile (PEP) grants last Thursday, with many recounting the terror of Hurricane Melissa while revealing a determination stronger than the Category 5 storm’s winds. For Dajanel Campbell, the memories of the hurricane ripping through her home in Lacovia, St Elizabeth, last October were the thoughts that filled her head as she stood on stage receiving her awards. Dajanel told the Jamaica Observer that when the wind lashed her windows and broke them, taking with it the house’s roof, she embraced her siblings and prayed.
I prayed to God to stop restarting Melissa. I asked mommy when would Melissa be over. She said, ‘Either on Thursday or Wednesday’.
And I was glad, hoping for Melissa to be over. And during that, I would just be praying, or I would just sit down peacefully hugging my siblings and telling them, ‘Let’s pray so that Melissa can be over.’ “So it was just really scary,” recounted Dajanel at the JPS Foundation Scholarship awards held at Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. Months after the storm passed, its impact was still strongly felt as Dajanel navigated PEP exams, the pressure of wanting to do well, as well as a home with severe structural damage and no electricity.
Still, her determination did not wane, crediting her mother, Yishka Sanderson, with keeping her motivated and disciplined even when her reality felt larger than her volition. “Mommy helped me, because she brought some past paper questions with her and she told me I’m supposed to go through them and go on YouTube to find out some of the answers or do the answers on my own, and if I have hard times, she would help me...That’s how I prepared, with her motivation,” said the PEP scholar, who will be attending Black River High School in September. “I love her so much for all that she has done for me; so I’m feeling happy, but I would give the credit to my mother for helping me succeed in life,” added Dajanel.
Sanderson embraced her daughter as she told the Sunday Observer that she’s filled with pride and joy. Despite the ravages of Hurricane Melissa, she never doubted her daughter’s capabilities. At first it was hard; we have to go through the process of motivating them to go to school.
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