The Tribune

By Tamara L McKenzie

It was just a few months ago when 11-year-old Caden Levae Smith had a eye-opening experience that would lead to her launch an international fundraising campaign right here in the Bahamas.

Caden said she was left speechless when she witnessed for the first time ever as a man retrieved a container that just moments ago had been thrown in a trash can by a pedestrian.

The man, who fished out the container with the hope of finding some remnants of food, was obviously homeless and hungry. And as Caden sat in her mom’s car and watched in awe, she said her heart became full and she wanted to assist – not only this man, but every less fortunate individual in the Bahamas.

Having witnessed the level of poverty in the capital first-hand, she and her family have tried their best to assist with donations where possible, but Caden wanted to do so much more. She said she wanted to raise money, but she also wanted others to have fun while doing it.

The persistent sixth grader, who presently serves as head girl at St Anne’s Primary School, eventually stumbled upon a commercial promoting a fundraising campaign held annually in the United Kingdom, and just recently in United States, known as “Red Nose Day”. She was determined to do whatever was necessary to ensure that this day is recognised locally.

Red Nose Day is a fundraising campaign spearheaded by the nonprofit organisation Comic Relief Inc. The annual campaign raises funds to assist the poor, but mainly young children and young adults in some of the poorest communities in the world such as Africa, Asia and Latin America. Money raised during the Red Nose Day campaign goes to the Red Nose Day Fund, and is used to support projects to keep children and young people safe, healthy and educated.

Last October, Caden’s persistence in wanting to help others paid off, as the caring tween received a proclamation from Prime Minister Perry Christie to launch the very first “Red Nose Day” in the Bahamas, slated for Friday, February 19.

“I thought it would be good to have a Red Nose Day here because a lot of people in the Bahamas don’t get enough to eat,” Caden said. “I was watching a commercial and saw what Red Nose Day did for America and I said that would be cool for the Bahamas, because with all the money we earn (from Red Nose Day) we could help young children who do not get enough to eat, and it will also help them get out of poverty.”

In her quest to launch Red Nose Day in the Bahamas, Caden met with Director of Social Services Melanie Zonicle, and later met Minister of Education,Jerome Fitzgerald, to offer her views on how the fundraiser would be beneficial to the Bahamas.

“After I told him about it (the Red Nose Day), he sent my letter to the Prime Minister and he sent out a proclamation to celebrate this day on February 19,” Caden explained.

Money raised from the Red Nose Day in the Bahamas will be used to assist the government’s National Lunch Programme, which provides lunch for more than 3,000 government school students. The Bahamas Red Nose Day is proposing to supplement the programme with a breakfast plan.

Presently, many schools are pitching in to bring awareness to the upcoming Red Nose Day for the Bahamas on February 19, and businesses are being asked to follow suit. Red noses are being sold for $2 and interested persons can also secure Red Nose Day T-Shirts from Sun Tee Bahamas. Additional information can be obtained by emailing bahamasrednose@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, Caden advises her peers to be consistent and not allow others to “divert” them from pursuing their dreams.

“Just keep your mindset straight and do what you want to do, always be you,” she said. “Don’t let anybody keep you behind. Some people may think that your dreams are small but don’t listen to the negative things that others say, you just have to push forward to make things happen.”

Caden, who is a straight ‘A’ student with a 94.0 GPA, has won many academic and character awards. She has consistently attained a spot on the honour roll since grade one, and she credits

her ability to be organised and knowing how to manage her time well with her academic achievements.

Her consistent hard work at school has paid off as she was recently nominated for the National Primary School Student Of The Year. The ceremony is scheduled to be held this May, and Caden feels honoured that her efforts have not gone unnoticed. She said she excited about the upcoming ceremony.

Describing herself as caring, smart and someone who “thinks out of the box,” Caden is inspired by Malala Yousafzai, a 18-year-old Pakistani woman who is an advocate for girls’ education, as well as her mom, Letitia Cleare-Smith, who is the owner and proprietor of Careful Hands Daycare & Preschool.

Caden’s hobbies include reading, modelling, dancing, singing and, of course, helping others.

At St Anne’s School, she is a member of Girl Guides, Junior Achievement, the Etiquette Club, serves as house captain and as president of the Spanish and French Club. Other extracurricular activities include track and field, dancing with Yodephy Dance School and singing with the Star Beats Show Choir. She also plays the violin and the piano, and she is a member of St Anne’s Anglican Church.

Caden also has a “Party In A Bag” initiative, where she hosts birthdays at the Nazareth Centre. Her favourite subject is maths, and she wants to become a paediatric nurse as well as an accountant.