Young scholar from Laventille heads to Princeton

JAFAR HOWE, the 19-year-old from Laventille whose acceptance into the prestigious Princeton University and subsequent sponsorship by an anonymous businessman has gone viral, hopes his story would help change the stigma of the area which is considered by many, a crime hotspot.

Howe, in an interview with Newsday on Saturday, said there were several success stories like his coming out of Laventille, where people who are now doctors, lawyers and politicians started from humble beginnings.

“I got this publicity for my story and I am glad for it, but there are many other professionals from Laventille who started off just like me, but went under the radar.”

A resident of Quarry Street, Howe will be studying engineering and public policy. He told Newsday, since his acceptance to Princeton, a private Ivy League research university in New Jersey, USA, became publicised, he has been getting calls from several people congratulating him and calling him an inspiration. He has also gotten calls from several people in Laventille, who not only wanted to congratulate him but encourage him to continue striving for excellence because they were in the same position as him.

“People are calling and messaging me and saying they grew up just down the road from me, and they knew what it was like growing up, and they are lawyers and doctors now.”

Howe told Newsday even as a young man, passing for St Mary’s College (CIC), he had to battle the stigma that was attached to his village.

“It was hard because when some students found out that I was from Laventille, they had already put an idea in their minds of what to expect from me. Some of the students would even make jokes about it, but I never let it affect me. The teachers did not treat me any differently, but it made me realise that I had to change the perception of Laventille in their minds. So I beat them – in test.”

Howe said after a few times proving himself academically, students began changing their view of him and of Laventille.

Howe, the eldest of three children, said changing the perception of Laventille was not his only challenge as he pursued his dream of going to Princeton. He said collecting funds for tuition, room and board was also a great challenge because he did not want to burden his parents with the massive bill that came with being accepted into a foreign university the likes of Princeton. Howe said he began making money tutoring other students and even sold popcorn at his old school to add to the savings and scholarships he and his family already had.

“Tuition for Princeton is actually USD$74,000 a year, including room and board. I couldn’t afford that even if it was in TT. I knew from the time I began applying that the scholarships would not be enough. I didn’t want to take money out of my parents’ pockets and hinder my younger siblings. I needed to make money to help myself.”

Howe and family tried several fund-raisers and also opened a GoFundMe page seeking donations and pledges to cover the bill. That was where Howe got his big break as an anonymous businessman pledged USD$20,000 which would help him cover all his expenses. Howe said with the problem of financing out of the way, he would not have to worry about finding a job to make ends meet. He could focus on his books.

“When we saw that, because we all saw it at once, my grandmother screamed out ‘Oh gosh!’ and hugged me. Family began congratulating me and messaging me. They kept telling me ‘Congratulations you are going to Princeton.’ It actually hasn’t fully hit me yet that I actually got what I needed to go.”

Howe expressed pride that his story became a symbol of hope for TT amid the deluge of bad news that comes across the media. He said if TT wanted to find more people like him, they should look to Laventille.

“I am glad to be that symbol that people needed in this time. I am proud to be that positive symbol in the media. But I am not the only one striving for these goals and achieving academically, I am just one of the few who were publicised. We have good sportsmen and sportswomen. We have professionals that come out of Laventille and I just want that to get into the minds of as much people as possible.”