The woman who found a large sum of money in an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on East Queen Street in downtown Kingston has stoutly defended her mother who called her “stupid” for returning the cash.

Mother of two Ackaisha Green told the Jamaica Observer last week that she understands why her mother hurled the insult at her.

The honest young woman’s Mother’s Day gesture will no doubt ease the tension faced by her mom, as minutes after the article was published in last Monday’s edition of the Observer the older woman began receiving backlash from readers, especially on social media.

The 24-year-old said: “It was out of anger why she called me stupid. I found a bag of money, returned it, and then I was begging her $200 to send my eldest son to school.

“They will understand if they were in her position; It is not a matter of money. They just need to put themselves in my mother’s position. She raised nine children basically on her own. Only one father stuck around,” she stated.

Even though Green grew up mainly with her paternal grandmother, she said her mother was always there for her.

“Lots of love for my mommy. Nobody can love you like your mother,” Green said.

Green, who became a mother at age 16, made it clear that despite the continuous support from the father of her sons, with whom she still maintains an intimate relationship, it is hard to sustain a family without a steady income.

At the same time, she lauded her grandmother’s teachings.

“Every Sunday I had to go to church. It was not if I wanted to go, I had to go,” she said.

Noting that she was a bit resistant in following some of her mom’s teachings, she admitted that if she had complied she would have been in a better situation now.

“I don’t regret my children, but maybe I would just be having children,” she added.

Three weeks ago when the Observer visited Green at her home on Jameson Street in central Kingston, she expressed that she wanted to pursue a housekeeping course at HEART Trust/NTA in order to sustain her family.

Last Tuesday, her hope became a reality as the agency not only had her complete an assessment paper but named her its first ambassador.

“We are going to take you around to speak to other young people, to spread the message, so when we do our professional and development sessions we are going to be inviting you to ensure that you are that beacon of hope for young people. We are truly heartened and we look forward to working with you,” HEART Trust/NTA Director of Employment and Career Services Rayharna Wright told Green at the agency’s Oxford Road office in St Andrew.

Green, who acknowledged being overwhelmed by the public’s response to her honesty, said she was pleased with the agency’s gesture.

“I feel good because I wanted to go back to school long time. I was surprised, because I signed up two times and I did not get through. I tried the one at Duke Street and I did not get through. I also signed up at a health fair at Kingston Technical High School,” Green said.

In addition to admitting Green to the housekeeping course, the HEART Trust/NTA presented her with a gift certificate that will cover the cost of completing levels I and II at its Learning For Earning Activity Programme (LEAP) Centre.

Green was inside the ATM at Central Police Station with her son Joshua, three Wednesdays ago, when she stumbled upon a stash of cash, suspected to be in the millions of dollars, in a large, transparent plastic bag. But she felt it was not hers to keep and handed it over to the police.

In addition to the HEART Trust/NTA, the NCB Foundation, Bank of Jamaica, and KingAlarm Limited have expressed an interest in assisting her.

Other Observer readers pledged to help but said they wanted to do so without fanfare.