Many times persons do not become empowered because they see obstacles as an instruction to give up. Yet for other people, obstacles are an invitation to advance and to find ways of overcoming the odds.
Mervin Thompson is one such person. There is a link to a newspaper article below with regards to how he overcame. Let us look at some secrets to overcoming the odds that we can learn from his experience.
Have a vision and never let it go. Mervin had a vision about his working life from age 11. His mother had other dreams for him but he did not let this stop him.
Mervin started with whatever small opportunities he could find. He did not look down on doing menial jobs on the way to fulfilling his dreams. He did not let financial deprivation and childhood disadvantages hold him back.
Mervin did whatever honest work came to hand until he landed his opportunity. He was willing to sleep in the market and push handcarts on his way to empowerment.
Others taking advantages of him such as robbery did not prevent Mervin from getting back on the street.
He became very innovative in creating opportunities in providing services to people however small.
He was willing to save despite small earnings. This is a critical financial path to successful business.
He marketed his services. He took opportunities to learn his craft to become certified.
Mervin found innovative methods to acquire equipment and to get others on board to help him establish his business.
He took advantage of every opportunity. Always being prepared for these to come.
He became a mentor to youth who started where he did to prevent them from using their obstacles as reasons to quit.
He says “Hope is there as long as you are alive and have ambition. Hope come with ambition, It nuh come with education; it nuh come with money; It nuh come with degree; it nuh come with a diploma, it nuh come with nothing. Mi can show man who can’t spell his name and him a make money, “
The Vere Johns Story
Behind every star is a star-maker. We can be creative and innovative in building opportunities and the infrastructure for stars to shine. It demands our own resources. We have to become talent founders and coaches. We have to face the risk of being discredited. Some star makers are even forgotten. Let us bring their legacy to light and follow their example.
Read more on the story of Vere Johns here: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20170813/vere-johns-unearthed-musical-talents-helped-shape-jcan-music
Garth Rattray, a very analytical social commentator offers the following pointers about the dis-empowerment of poverty and politics. He suggests some answers regarding political and community actions to show practical love. In quote, ” Raising children was a community effort”.
Let each of us think of one “love action” we can do to empower young under-served person. See the rest in the link below.
Harmed and Dangerous Part One: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20171113/garth-rattray-harmed-and-dangerous-part-one
Harmed and Dangerous Part Two: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20171120/garth-rattray-harmed-and-dangerous-part-2