By Nelcia Charlemagne
For Sherline Gittens, growing up in Aux Lyons, Dennery under less than favourable economic conditions meant several of her life’s goals seemed out of reach.
Now, 15 years after first hearing Sir Arthur Lewis’ classic quote that “the fundamental cure for poverty is not money but education”, Sherline is pursuing a master’s degree in Government specializing in International Relations at the University of the West Indies (Mona).
Like many Saint Lucians from rural communities, Sherline grew up in an extended family environment. Sleepovers and river limes with cousins and going to the nearby field to watch cricket and football matches on weekends were part of everyday life. These pleasures, she knows, did not negate her family’s socio-economic status.
“My mother – who had to drop out of primary school – worked a lot of odd jobs just so that we could go to school,” Sherline recounted. It’s a story all too familiar to many Saint Lucians.
She attended the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School, often fueled on buttered bread and tea for breakfast. “$5 had to pay for the bus from Castries to the school and back which totalled $2.50 and the other half was what I had to survive on for the day. It wasn’t much but I made it work,” she explained. She recounted her order from Ms. Claire’s canteen: 1 sausage roll and $1 local juice with no ice.
Her Form 1 Geography teacher, Mr. Branch first introduced her to Sir Arthur Lewis’ iconic adage. “It stuck with me, I just could not get it out of my head.”
When her mother could not afford what Sherline described as “basic school supplies”, she made it her mission to finish school with good grades despite the financial odds and become the first member of her family to pursue tertiary education. That goal wasn’t without its own challenges. “I had no access to a computer and internet at home so I had to stay back every single day to complete my SBAs,” she shared.
Sherline’s story is one of sheer perseverance. Though she initially wanted to study business and law at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Level, she was discouraged by her favourite teacher who told her that “CAPE is for people who are going to university.” She instead studied for an Associate degree in Business Administration.
Sherline had successfully convinced a local attorney-at-law to sponsor her school fees in exchange for administrative support at his office during the school breaks. It was a “big, ambitious, and bold move” that worked out in her favour.
“University was always on my list but my family could not afford to send me nor did we have anything that I could use as collateral to get a loan,” she said.
Luck was on her side, after a sponsor (who prefers to remain anonymous), recognized Sherline’s immense potential and offered to fund her university education. She admitted dragging her feet on applying for the University of the West Indies, but five years after graduating from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Sherline Gittens was a university student – the first in her family.
“The hardest part was being away from my family for 3 years,” she said, but described the experience as “nothing short of amazing.” She took full advantage of the university serving on the Guild of Students, securing a spot on the Dean’s List for 4 semesters, receiving recognition for her leadership, and earning the Carl Stone Award for her high achievements in the Research Methods in Government courses.
Sherline landed an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Jamaica after her academic achievements made her one of the top 25 students in her program.
Sherline has now joined the ranks of brilliant Saint Lucian academics making immense strides in regional and international institutions. In August, she returned to Jamaica to read for her master’s degree. She has also been appointed as a teaching assistant in UWI (Mona)’s Department of Government.
“All of this is like a dream come true. I’m watching myself pursue everything 12-year-old Sherline thought was impossible or out of reach has been so fulfilling, and healing my inner child,” she said. Among her many goals moving forward is having the means to retire her mother.
“I never want her to work another job again. I never want her to want anything. I never want her to worry about food or bills or being in constant survival mode. All of this, everything is for her and her hard work.”
