KENDAL, Hanover — Eighty-one-year-old Sybil Madge Williams is an educator at heart who did not let setbacks in her earlier years stop her from achieving her goals.

In fact, Williams, who is from a family of 11 siblings, was born with a physical disability — a deformity of her right hand — and despite enjoying her elementary school years, things took a drastic turn while she was in secondary school. She quit school after becoming exhausted from the relentless teasing from schoolmates.

At home with nothing to do, an 18-year-old Williams kept herself occupied by tending to the children of family members from the porch of her home in Kendal. Caring for their physical and academic needs later blossomed into a daycare and preschool business as residents increasingly left their children in her care.

With the encouragement of others, the informal early childhood institution for children between two and six years old was later moved from her veranda to the nearby Wesleyan Holiness Church. It later moved to Cessnock and went by the name Cessnock Basic School. Years later, the school — which by then had provided jobs for teachers, cooks and other individuals — was relocated to its current site in Kendal.

Now officially known as Kendal Basic School, it was certified by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) in 2017. Back then, it had four members of staff and 25 students.

Williams taught at the school for 63 years before retiring in 2010 after she broke her hip. Despite the setback, she continued to do what she does best — teaching. This time around her grandchildren were the ones benefiting.

The work she has done over the years did not go unnoticed. On Mother’s Day she was among seven people Kendal Baptist Church Women’s Federation lauded for outstanding community service. The other honourees were Delzie Andrews, Lola Campbell, Wilbe Cunningham, Margaret Campbell, Hazel Miller, and Violet Jackson. Williams was presented with a plaque in honour of her outstanding contribution to the growth and development of the church and the community of Kendal.

The senior citizen of little words told the Jamaica Observer the kind words brought her joy.

Ker Miller, the second of Williams’ four children, was moved by the recognition of her mother’s years of hard work.

“I thank them so much for what they have done because from she was teaching at that small age until now, it is the first that somebody has shown appreciation and I really feel nice about it,” Miller said.