The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS from CV Bethel and CR Walker high schools received surprising words of advice as they celebrated International Women’s Days in the company of top business leaders in the Bahamas.

Executives at the Royal Bank of Canada hosted the tenth grade students to a tour of the bank’s Women’s Suffrage exhibition and a lunch forum. During the tour, a customer on her routine visit to the bank saw an opportunity to change a life. The surprise encounter left students touched and inspired.

“That testimony was very powerful to me because she taught me to realise that you cannot love others more than you love yourself. You have to love yourself and even if you have no one there for you, know that you are still a good person. Do not go looking for love in boys because you may end up finding it in the wrong ways,” said Iesha Lockhart, a CV Bethel student.

The woman in the bank was Indira Thompson. She is a domestic violence survivor. The theme for International Women’s Day was “A promise is a promise, time for action to end violence against women”. Tanya McCartney, managing director at RBC Finco said the surprise encounter fell in line with the overall message.

“When she told her story about her boyfriend betraying her and stabbing her several times, she really got the emotional side of me because I felt that. Her words were empowering and moving. She told us to be more focused and she gave us advice to not let any man make you feel down or belittle you,” said Angelique Ambrister, a CR Walker student.

“In this modern day and time, women do let their boyfriends and husbands abuse them, and it is about time that someone spoke their story to get the attention of the young women today. Her message was something I needed to hear because I myself, I believe in independence and I am a strong black Bahamian lady. All females should have a high self esteem and be beautiful about it,” said Angelique.

Day to day, women are experiencing violence in their relationships, said Erica Pierre, another C R Walker student. She said seeing the survivor’s scars on her body touched her emotionally.

“That shows me that I don’t need to experience what she has gone through to know that I am beautiful. She went through a lot before she had the strength to leave that man,” said Erica.

During a lunch event, Fanchon Braynen, a human resources business partner at RBC, encouraged the students to know their value.

“We want to help you to understand that as you walk away from today, know that you are a woman, you are a strong woman and you don’t allow anybody to influence who you are. You are who you are and God has made us unique in that regard. So we want to encourage you to set goals for yourselves and always have that self respect.”

Ms Braynen said the world is currently in a time where it seems many people do not appreciate women for who they are. “We have women who want to be boys and women who allow persons to take advantage of them. I want you to know today that you are created uniquely, you are special and we want you to understand what it is to be a strong woman in this current society,” she said.

Ms McCartney also encourage the girls to “embrace positive activities and positive people who can help create a safe environment” in their lives. “If we do, that will limit, hopefully our chances of being exposed to violence,” she said.