By Adia Wynter
Five Antiguan and Barbudan women are latest beneficiaries of scholarships — which will aid in their pursuit of higher education — from a local organisation.
Toyer Athill-Williams, Janice Walbrook, Delta AuGuste, Vellie Nicholas-Benta and Jahmesha Millwood, expressed their elation with being the recipients of this year’s, International Women’s Club (IWC) scholarship awards.
“I am really enthused about it,” said Millwood, a nurse at the Mount St John’s Medical Centre. “When I got the e-mail saying ‘congratulations’, I was very, very pleased, excited; all the positive words.”
Athill-Williams, a home economics teacher at the Princess Margaret School, also expressed her gratitude for the club and its work in empowering women
“It is rather timely, but not only that, I have a great appreciation for what they are trying to do for women and women’s empowerment,” she said.
The helping hand extended to these women is one that is also reaching for the betterment of the nation through the awarding of these scholarships.
“What we have started to do also, is to make sure that the people that we help are coming back to Antigua,” said president of the IWC, Diane Camacho.
Despite being a small club, the impact felt by this year’s recipients as well as those from previous years is tremendous.
“We have gotten some lovely letters from women that have succeeded as far as the PhD programme, telling us that they could not have moved forward if it wasn’t for the help that we had given,” Camacho noted.
The recipients also wish to see more young women make use of the opportunity presented by the club as they embark on pursuing their dreams.
,“I would advise any young female who sees themselves going somewhere and needs some assistance, to apply,” Millwood said.
The IWC has been awarding scholarships to Antiguan and Barbudan women, based on merit and need, since 1986.