This Father’s Day, the unsung heroes in many people’s lives will be recognised at a special awards ceremony.

The Eternal Fathers Awards at the Jamaica Pegasus will highlight some fathers who are having a positive impact on their community and family.

The organiser of the event, Anna Smith got the idea from an older male colleague who asked her to print PEP materials for his son. Smith was surprised to learn he had children and inquired about his experience as a parent.

During the conversation, Smith discovered that her colleague was raising four boys on his own. Smith grew up in a two-parent household and had heard of many people raised in single-mother homes, but she had never met a single father and sought to highlight this.

Meant to be a YouTube channel featuring all fathers who are excelling in their roles, it turned into an annual event. This occurred because of the reimagining of the portrayal of father figures post-pandemic, Smith said.

“What many Jamaicans have heard is the worst of fathers,” Smith explained. She hopes that the Eternal Father Awards will help to change people’s perceptions of fatherhood. A father, according to Smith, is a good provider, friend, and role model. And she wants to share the stories of exemplary father figures with people who appreciate them.

Fatherhood is not optional, says Smith. She believes that many men see fatherhood as an ATM transaction rather than active parenting. And that the absence of one parent has led some women to embrace the ‘I am mother and father’ approach. Through the awards and by highlighting these men that are a “source of cherished childhood memories”, these stories will both highlight the fathers and compel more men to be more inclusive in a child’s life, she said.

The Eternal Father Awards honours all men; adopted fathers, stepfathers, biological fathers, and community father figures who may be underrated but have a strong sense of self-leadership. Anyone can make nominations for the father in their life: children, partners, even community members.

Nominations are now open and will close on April 21. There are seven categories, including “champion father,” which nominates 14 parish champion fathers and recognises one as Father of the Year. To enter, nominators can log on to the website, sign up, and upload a creative video no more than three minutes long showing why their father deserves to be awarded. Based on the category, winners chosen by a judging panel or public vote are awarded with a suitable trophy and special gift from their sponsor, Digicel.

According to Smith, the aim of the Eternal Father Awards is to show a side of fathers that people don’t often see, that does not conform to stereotypes such as absenteeism, visiting fatherhood, and part-time fatherhood.

Smith asserts, “Fatherhood is not optional.”

She believes that a different perspective could begin to shift perceptions of a father and encourage more fathers to pursue their roles.

She’s not looking to make a difference, “Not so much as to change the narrative as it is to balance it.”

“In them (men) is reposed the wealth of Jamaica. I want men to see themselves as the influences for Jamaica’s future,” Smith said.