Rotary Club of Princes Town and Haygem Travel help med student

THE Rotary Club of Princes Town has made good on its promise to help 21-year-old Makeisha Simon, and on Saturday night donated $10,000 at a handing over ceremony.

Incoming president Jamir Ousman told Newsday that one of the club’s supporters, Haygem Travel Services, donated $2,000.

Ousman said: "The agency was so moved by the articles that it gave the additional money at the ceremony. This club has given over one million dollars in scholarship funds over the past 26 years. Every year we give $60,000, $70,000 as scholarships to people who are in need."

Outgoing president Crystal Ann Harper presented Simon with the cheque, making the street seller a step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a doctor.

The new Rotary theme for 2019-2020 is "Rotary Connects the World."

Ousman pledged to continue the great works achieved this year. He also plans to focus on increasing the awareness of diabetes and its prevention in primary and secondary schools.

The event was at the auditorium of the National Energy Skills Centre in Ste Madeleine. Simon’s supportive mother Nekisha Simon also attended.

In a media release from the club, it said assistant governor Gordon Paul inducted two new Rotarians – Dr Nicholas Bridgemohan and Michael Cooper- Ochiengh. Bridgemohan works at the Princes Town Health Facility. Cooper -Ochiengh, at CMW, a telecom contracting company in Princes Town.

Harper presented her year-in-review with and presented several awards. At the ceremony, Ousman received the Rotarian of the Year award and Dr Ronald Gobin was awarded his fourth Paul Harris Fellow recognition pin.

Simon has been selling nuts and channa on the streets of Princes Town and San Fernando to raise money to study medicine at the University of the West Indies from September. The university accepted her last year, but the family cannot afford the tuition and living expenses.

Simon and her mother repeatedly thanked the rotary club and everyone who assisted and who pledges to assist.

Nekisha said: "Good is so good to us. He is blessing us over and over again. If God did not think we were deserving, we would not be getting help. Her rent alone for a year is $15,000 and for her five years, it will cost $75,000. We were desperate."

The former student of St Stephen’s College and her mother continue to sell. The university pledged to help, and the duo is awaiting word from officials to determine how much they need to accumulate.

The mother said: "We still need more money and we are still selling items from R& B’s factory of St Charles Village. I have no money; I don’t even have a bank account. It was only after you highlighted the story, Makeisha opened one."

People can donate to Simon through her Republic Bank account: 940 036 449 301. They can also donate through her SFCCU Credit Union account: 03006045 or passbook number S01852.

Her phone number is 356-3465.