At a graduation ceremony for 170 childcare employees last Thursday, nobody was prouder than 48-year-old Charmaine Allen who was experiencing that occasion for the first time in her life.

Allen told the Jamaica Observer that due to challenges growing up, she was not enrolled at an educational institution which would have given her the opportunity to graduate after completing her studies like most other children.

“I feel good. Believe it or not, it’s my first time graduating. Because of circumstances I didn’t get to graduate when I was younger — I didn’t get to go to school. But now I have graduated and I am so proud of myself. I am overwhelmed,” Allen told the Observer.

According to Allen, her parents were unable to take care of her and her 13 siblings, she started vending when she was only 13 years old.

“My mother wasn’t working so she couldn’t support all of us, and my father had a little shop and a donkey. She kept me and gave one of my sisters, who was a year apart from me, to a family member and, remember, she had the others looking after,” said Allen as she indicated that early in life she decided to move into the working world as a vendor as she wanted to ensure that when she had children they would have more opportunities than she had.

“They should have a better future and better education and that’s what I did,” said Allen who later got a job at the Homestead Place of Safety as a cook.

Allen said the administrators at the home helped her to improve her reading and writing skills.

“I usually sell orange juice, bag juice, until I met a man named Mr Wright and him ask if mi want a work. That’s how I started out at Homestead. Through Homestead, I can help myself to read and I can sign any paper anybody give me. They helped me with that,” she explained.

Like most of the other 169 other childcare employees, Allen said she decided to enrol in the capacity-building workshop developed by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency last year to improve her childcare skills.

A total of 34 workshop sessions were held over 16 weeks, focused on areas such as productivity and effective supervision of children in care, mental health, dietary services, personal self-care, relationship-building and bonding, responding to children with behavioural issues, bullying, public health and inspection, and alternatives to corporal punishment.

“Now who would have known that I would be here collecting a certificate? I am so happy for this opportunity. It was really tough on me out there and I wouldn’t want that for another child. That’s why I am a part of this agency,” said Allen.

“Mi want to cry and mi can’t cry right now. When I found out I was going to graduate I cried. I told everybody I was going to graduate. Finally, I am graduating at the age of 48,” declared Allen.

She said her 22-year-old daughter and 31-year-old son are thrilled that she was finally able to enjoy a graduation ceremony of her own.

Looking back on her difficult childhood, Allen said she was not angry at her mother for failing to send her through school.

“Mi no hate her. Right now I’m the one she calls on for everything. If she wants a shoes, money, food, I cannot tell her no. I’m just glad she didn’t give me away. I was saying I was the bad sheep, I was the bad luck one, but I am grateful for how things worked out.

“Everything I hoped for is coming through. My goal is to go on top. I won’t stop until I get there. I know there is a lot in store for me because I am special. I still have hope,” added Allen.