There have been recent discussions about banning the windscreen wipers from the streets, or whether to regulate their activity. Many people argue that these men are more of a nuisance than anything else, disrespecting innocent drivers and oftentimes being violent. Though I don’t doubt that this is true, I beg to offer a view from the other side of the windscreen.

Having worked in inner-city community development for the past seven years, I have met a wide cross section of youth and adults with different stories. I have seen a few young men decide to venture into a life of crime; young girls get pregnant at 14, and witnessed young people being the first in their families to graduate from university or start their own businesses. It is often tricky to pinpoint the factors that determine whether or not social intervention programmes cause the success of its participants, but having seen first-hand more positive results than negative, I would shudder to think what would happen if they did not exist.

Last summer, while trying to catch a green light I noticed a familiar face standing on the road with a wiper in his hand. It was too late to turn around and, in fact, I was late to my destination and had other passengers in the car. I quickly called someone I used to work with to inquire the last time she had spoken with him — Sheldon. As it turned out, she reported that she had last seen him wiping windows at the same intersection.

Rewind a few years when I had met Sheldon at a summer camp. He had won the hearts of his fellow campers as he was well-mannered, lovable, and a sportsman. Also, as soon as music played through the speakers the other campers would call on him to dance. One day, while down at the football field, I noticed fresh bruises on Sheldon’s back. He told me that his mother had beaten him the night before with a stick. He reported that this type of beating was a regular occurrence. I told him that I was mandated to report the incident to the authorities. He didn’t think anything would come out of it as he thought no one cared about the people from his community. The report was made and the authorities began their investigation. Unfortunately he was not removed from the home. Sheldon was from the community of Majesty Garden, and he and his sister, as well as their peers, were often sent on the streets by their mothers to help offset the household bills. (This particular summer camp was aimed at mitigating child labour). Sheldon was later kicked out of the house by his mother and was sent to live with an uncle. A year after that he was living under a bus shed for a few months before another family member took him in. In our position, we were unable to directly secure a housing solution for him. Sheldon refused to go onto the streets to beg/work and insisted on going to school, despite his situation. Thus my surprise when I drove past him years later. Now legally an adult, Sheldon often ventures onto the streets to hustle, as he now lives alone and abuse-free in a government home in his community. Window wiping was a last resort for him, and he is currently trying to organise his Tax Registration Number, etc, in order to go back to school.

I then reflect on Andrew, who I often pass wiping windscreens at the Portia Simpson Miller Square. He was another of our summer camp participants who came from unfortunate circumstances. The difference between Andrew and Sheldon is that Andrew never had the desire to be in school, even from a young age. According to him, school wasn’t going to do anything for him, he quickly wanted to “go mek some money”. He failed to see the connection between schooling and money-making, despite our efforts. The first encounter we had years after the summer camp had ended was after I saw him getting into an argument with a fellow wiper. I was nearby and called out to him. I pulled over and we chatted a while. Turns out that Andrew dropped out of school and came out on the streets to hustle. He reiterated the same sentiment from years before — about school not making any sense for him — and reported that he preferred to hustle than go back to school.

Lastly, I think about Kevin, who I have not seen since that fateful summer. Kevin, wherever he is, is surviving — of this I am confident. Kevin’s mother had also sent him on the streets to hustle as he was the eldest child and had to fend for his younger siblings. The summer camp was quite an inconvenience for Kevin as he saw it as interfering with his hustle. Nevertheless, he was present and actually enjoyed himself. The first Friday however, he was missing from camp; when he returned the next week he reported that Friday is his most profitable day and he could not afford to miss it. Another day shortly after camp had ended I passed him by MegaMart. I was confused, as this was well out of his way. Upon asking, he replied, “Auntie, down my side too congested with too much people; hard fi hustle with so much competition.” A businessman in the making, as at a young age he was able to identify his best business days and find an ‘underserved’ location.

I know that none of this changes the fact that many of these windscreen wipers are aggressive and violent. I also know that this may not evoke any sympathy from those of us who have been cursed out and have had our property damaged by them. However, what I must underscore is the need for sustained social intervention programmes in order to possibly put a dent in the cycle of some of these social ills. Social interventions, especially in inner-city and rural areas, is paramount to national development and cannot happen in an ad hoc fashion or be short term.

The arms of non-profit organisations are short because the multitude is growing and the five loaves and two fish are running out. Unfortunately, international donor funds are the main staple for many non-profit organisations, and the competition is stiff as there are many non-profit companies vying for international funds which are drying up because of our classification as a middle income country. Non-profit organisations now need to find innovative ways to keep on their lights and continue to serve vulnerable communities. This is where the Government needs to step its game up if they are serious about national development. If Jamaica is to be the place to live, work, and do business then we need to pay keen attention to our most valuable resources — our citizens.

I also hope that by telling a part of the stories of these three young men that we can see and understand that everyone has a story, some more gory than others, and if ‘fairy godmothers’ are not interjected those youngsters can become villains wreaking havoc on us. If their stories aren’t told they will be seen as villains and nothing more, instead of the victims that many of them are. I know many will say I grew up poor and never turned out like that, etc, etc, but I would then implore them to find a way to pour into the lives of those young people and see if some kind of impact can be made.

Everyone has a story; let’s bear that in mind when we interact with each other. More importantly, let us endeavour to help one another when we can in order to build a better Jamaica for the next Sheldon, Andrew and Kevin.

jhanille_brooks@hotmail.com

PULL QUOTE

The arms of non-profit organisations are short because the multitude is growing and the five loaves and two fish are running out. Unfortunately international donor funds are the main staple for many non-profit organisations, and the competition is stiff as there are many non-profit companies vying for international funds which are drying up because of our classification as a middle income country