Curfew Matters giving needy students a chance

TIFFANY PRYCE

STAR Writer

Loriann McLean was worried and clueless about how she would pay her tuition for this semester.

With her first midterm exam just hours away, it seemed all hope was lost until Curfew Matters, a St Andrew-based community support group, stepped in and made sure she could settle her fees and sit her exams.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to school this semester at all," McLean, a part-time psychology major at The University of the West Indies (UWI) told THE STAR. "I had challenges last semester and had to take a leave of absence. Even this semester, things still weren't working out, so I figured I'd have to take another leave. But at the very last minute, I reached out for help and they really came through for me."

She added, "The night before my midterm exams started, they personally came to give me the money. And I think that's a really great thing, because they didn't have to do that, especially so late at night. I'm very grateful."

McLean, who hails from August Town, St Andrew, says the support she received from Curfew Matters has given her a renewed sense of hope.

"August Town is a community where there are a lot of people willing to do things, but there aren't many opportunities to get them done, especially when it comes to money," she said.

"Students from August Town are often seen as coming from a community riddled with crime and violence; because of that, many don't even opt for higher education. And even when they want to, they just don't have the financial support to make it happen."

That's where the Curfew Matters initiative comes in. Established in August 2020 during the pandemic, the programme was initially created to ensure children stayed indoors and focused on online learning. But it has since evolved, and aims to keep children in school, while giving them opportunities for a brighter future.

"We started a scholarship programme, where we raised funds to assist students," said Sergeant Ricardo McCalpin, president of Curfew Matters. "One of our beneficiaries is this UWI student who had challenges with paying her fees. If she didn't pay, she wouldn't have been able to do her exams -- so we used the funds to help her. We see where this scholarship fund can really be beneficial to students like her."

The programme primarily supports residents from Bedward Gardens, African Gardens, Hermitage, Goldsmith Villa, and August Town. According to McCalpin, the initiative wouldn't be possible without the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and other community stakeholders.

"We're hoping to get more awareness on the importance of foundations like these, and how they contribute to the development of children in their communities," McCalpin said. "A lot of youth out there won't make it in life, simply because they weren't able to fund their secondary education, much less tertiary education. We want more stakeholders to support our programme, so more students can benefit."

He added that the programme is now looking to expand its focus to early-childhood education.

"A lot of basic school principals are part of our programme, and they see cases where parents can't fund their children's education from an early age," McCalpin explained. "This stage of development is so important, and we want to ensure these kids get a fair start in life."

For McLean, the help she received has been life-changing, and she hopes others in her community can also benefit.

"I'd advise anyone pursuing higher education to get in touch with their community and understand that these opportunities are out there, waiting for them," she said.