Jerome mentors women after hitting 'rock bottom'

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

Kerrene Akilisha Jerome, 28, has credited hitting "rock bottom" in life for giving her the strength to believe in herself. Jerome, an employee at the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme, has taken the lumps life has left her with and used it as lessons to grow and help others.

Through her queening mentorship programme, launched on June 8 alongside the motivational "Becoming" event at the Belle Garden Multipurpose Facility, Jerome hopes to uplift the island through ten women sharing their inspirational stories.

The programme's slogan is “Be Your Highest Self,” while its mission statement is to train, develop, coach and mentor young women in society to be their highest self through support, leadership, guidance and empowerment.

Its vision is to foster positive relationships by means of mobilising the energies, resources, and strengths of individuals while collaborating more and competing less.

“Take charge of your life and write your best story. You are not alone on this journey. We are here with you,” Jerome said.

Although she was born in Trinidad, Jerome’s family moved to Tobago while she was still a child. She grew up in Goodwood and attended Goodwood Methodist Primary School, before moving on to Signal Hill Senior Comprehensive (now known as Signal Hill Secondary).

Jerome, a strong advocate for good parenting, said the breakup of her parents' marriage had a huge impact on her.

“My life took an odd turn after my parents got divorced. At that time, I didn’t yet understand the impact it would have on me, as a delicate teenager, and the rest of my siblings.

“I got pregnant at the age of 16. I graduated high school in June and gave birth to my daughter in December 2007. I do not blame anyone for my story, or the way my life turned out, but I cannot stress enough about parental control, emotional support and communication by both parents throughout your children’s life, despite your family type.”

At 18, Jerome got married to her daughter’s father, later giving birth to her son in 2014. However, the marriage ended in 2015.

“I realised something very important yet powerful, I was living my life, but not for me, but to please everyone else around me. It led to me being very unhappy and I struggled with anxieties and depression. With that realisation, I decided to take control of my life and truly be the author of my own story.”

Jerome said before that epiphany, however, she was in a very dark place but was able to emerge from it with the help of friends.

“Before that could happen, however, in 2016, the famous year of my rock bottom, I lost my family, friends, my brother went to jail that year and my job was in jeopardy. Rock bottom is funny because when you look at the state of your life, you reason that death seems more luxurious than living. I thank God for some people that saved me ,whether knowingly or unknowingly, from throwing myself a pity party and slipping deeper and deeper into a completely unemotional mess; unemotional because in that state I could not think, I could not feel, I was walking and talking completely lifeless.”

Jerome said she was only able to move forward after a brutal self analysis.

“Interestingly enough, I decided to go on a journey of self-discovery. I needed answers to important questions: who am I? what makes me happy? what am I passionate about? what is my purpose? why was I created? I did not know it yet but I went into a deep period of introspection. I found answers after a year and some months, because in 2018, the best year of my life to-date, I found myself.

"With the answers, I started working on me, I started doing the things that made me happy, things that brought me peace and things that would bring me closer and closer to the realisation of my passion, my vision, my goals and my purpose."

Jerome is keen to use the knowledge acquired along her journey to help other women.

"I believe my life that I endured to this date was not by mere chance; that there is power, hope and life in my story, and in many of the stories of women that surround us. This program was created to help all young women to know better, and when you know better you do better. It is important to take control of your life now rather than later, to understand who you are and what you are capable of now, rather than later, to pursue your purpose and make your impact now.”

She added, “We had the experience, we have walked that road, so we can impart that wisdom to mentees. I have founded this programme because I believe in passion and purpose. There isn’t anything I won’t do for your passion, no mountain you won’t climb or no river you won’t cross for your purpose... I love seeing other people win.”

Jerome said with the launch of the the programme's motivational Becoming event, the board of directors will be working continuously on hosting workshops, programmes and events, all in hopes of building capacity in women, developing their interpersonal skills and intrapersonal skills, helping them realise their fullest potential.

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