FORMER soldier Keshea Davy, 37, is on a mission for Jamaica’s children and it has one objective: to help ensure that no child is left behind on their journey to academic success.

She kicked off the initiative last week with a visit to Wait-A-Bit All-Age School in Trelawny where she donated needed learning material to the students.

Davy, who has been living in the United States for the past decade, attended Wait-A-Bit All-Age for one year in grade one and both her parents are past students who subsequently taught there for many years.

From her own pocket, she bought exercise books — both the hardcover and spiral bound variety — as well as pencils, pens and rulers, which were distributed to the entire student population of 530 youngsters.

“I funded this by myself because you lead by example so I wouldn’t want to go out there and be saying ‘listen, I need help with something’ when I am just starting it. So I funded this from the ground up by myself, hoping that next year is going to be better,” she said.

Initially, she planned to take on only a grade-one class, but later decided to take advantage of back-to-school sales in the US to provide material for all the classes.

She anticipates that the initiative will take off, reaching children across the island.

“I see this project spanning over the entire Jamaica… It might not happen that we hit all (14 parishes) by next year, but I am sure by next year this time, we should at least be in another parish,” Davy told Career & Education.

She was joined at Wait-A-Bit by Roy Rayon, her friend of many years and the well-known four-time winner of the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, to infuse fun and entertainment into her charity effort. Rayon, she said, also gave a motivational talk to the students.

“The school loved it; the response was good. The way we were received, that made me very happy that I took this initiative,” Davy noted.

Principal Ted Jones attested to this, noting his appreciation for her gesture. He added that the inclusion of Roy Rayon had helped to make the day enjoyable for the students.

“We have been trying to put together an alumni association for some time.That has yet to be fully organised. What she did here is something to push forward that kind of thing,” he told Career & Education.

Meanwhile, Davy said that the guidance counsellor had, during the visit, indicated that the school was in desperate need of a breakfast programme. As such, she said she would be working to get other past students involved to make that programme a reality.

“I think that is a good idea because a lot of parents don’t have the money and breakfast is a very important meal of the day. I would love to assist her in that or for some other past students to make the effort and give back to the school,” she said.

Already, Davy has been organising a group, via the social networking site Facebook, to get a discussion going among past students. She said she intends to show them what she has done so far in order to “draw them in” and get them to commit to helping.

Davy is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University, with a degree in Mass Communication. She earlier attended Kingston Technical High.

After seven years as a military officer in the Jamaica Defence Force, she opted to leave to pursue her studies in 2000. However, she admits that if she is called to re-enter, she would do it gladly and encourages young people to join the army.

While still a soldier, she was involved in the National Youth Service programme, which she said was an eye-opener for her as well as the foundation of her current efforts to assist youths.

“When you are in the army, you might not see the benefit of serving, but this is like a college in itself which prepares you for whatever is in the world,” Davy said.

Although she will shortly return to the US shortly, she told Career & Education that her brother, media personality Jerry D, has made a commitment to help her see it through on the local front.

“I don’t want this to be something that you get up and start and then turn your back on it so whatever sacrifices I need to make, I will make them,” Davy said.