UTech grad grateful for blessings on her journey

Last Friday, Danille Bucknor Chambers crossed the stage at the University of Technology, Jamaica's (UTech, Jamaica) graduation ceremony to collect her Bachelor of Science degree in environmental health.

But what many people didn't know is that through the years, Bucknor Chambers faced numerous challenges, each one testing her resilience. But through the kindness and love of others, coupled with her determination to succeed, she achieved her goals. Her ordeals started when she survived a fire at just five years old.

"It was so traumatic and I almost didn't make it out," she recalled. "The stairs (she was on the second floor) were completely engulfed in flames, so I couldn't escape. I had no choice but to jump from the window so my neighbour [Derek] could catch me. At first I was scared because I didn't think he could. But then I realised it was my only chance to survive," the now 23-year-old said. "I don't know where Derek is right now but I am grateful for him. He didn't have to come out of his house that night, but he did. He saved my life."

Despite surviving the fire, the family was left homeless, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. But a family friend living overseas allowed them to live in his home. However, as a single mother and practical nurse, Bucknor Chambers' mother had to work long hours and take on overtime shifts to support her family. Then, when Bucknor Chambers, who lived in Stettin, Trelawny, passed her Grade Six Achievement Test to attend Knox College in Clarendon, a journey of almost one and a half hours daily, the financial strain grew even more overwhelming.

"Sometimes all I would go with is my taxi fare, not even lunch money, because mommy didn't have it. And there were times when I didn't even have the taxi fare," said Bucknor Chambers. But once again, she received a lifeline.

"There was this one bus man, his name was 'Sim Sima', and he would bring me to school even if I didn't have the fare to pay him," she said. Bucknor Chambers' blessings continued to overflow, as her teachers at Knox College came together to help her mother pay for her CXC exams. So, when it was time for university, even without the first dollar, Bucknor Chambers knew she would not let her circumstances deter her from pursuing her dreams.

"Nobody in my family graduated from university, so I knew I had to be the first, not only for myself, but also for my mom who made so many sacrifices for me," Bucknor Chambers said.

Initially inspired to become a nurse, Bucknor Chambers applied to UTech, Jamaica's nursing programme. But after one year, she transitioned to study environment health with a major in public health inspection.

"In 2019 when I decided to go to university, I didn't know how I would start because my mother didn't have any money and the Monday when I was supposed to move to Kingston I couldn't move because the money just wasn't there," Bucknor Chambers explained, adding that with help from her uncle, her mother managed to move her to the Corporate Area to continue her education. Bucknor Chambers had decided to take out a student loan, but when she switched her programme, the Student Loan Bureau informed her that it would not cover her tuition until she cleared the loan for her previous nursing programme.

This setback left Bucknor Chambers in a difficult position, but she refused to let it derail her dreams. So she asked her mother and stepfather for their assistance, and they came together to pay a portion of her fees while she worked nights at a call centre to pay the rest.

She had special thanks for them "for making the many sacrifices that they did to ensure that I finished and I was OK through the journey". She also thanked her grandmother for her constant prayers, and her partner who has been standing by her for the past four years.

Bucknor Chambers admitted that at times, the journey was exhausting, and she was mentally drained.

"I cried a lot about it and there were times I almost gave up," Bucknor Chambers. "But ... I knew I couldn't let them down."