Parish Festival Queen Launches Project to Help Young Women

Miss Manchester Festival Queen 2009, Lanisia Rhoden, has launched a project geared towards providing effective mentorship, guidance and moral support to young women between 16 and 25 years of age in the parish, in order to allow them to achieve success by rising above the challenges they face.
The project, dubbed ‘Young Women of Purpose (Y-WoP)’, was officially launched at the Richmond United Church Hall, in Mandeville, recently.
The Y-WoP project aims to provide trustworthy persons to provide professional assistance to young women in selecting their career paths, and outlining the steps required to achieve them.
Guest Speaker at the launch, Information Technology teacher, Seymour Rhoden, said that the country “is in the midst of what is being described as a challenging situation, both economically and socially, and so many of us are confused and wondering what to do and where to find the answer, and Y-WoP is the perfect answer in the face of adversity.”
He charged young women to hold on to their dignity in this age, when women are portrayed as sex symbols in the entertainment industry.”Young ladies, I want you to define yourselves. Define yourself as somebody who has worth, somebody with purpose and Y-WoP says it wants to move you up another notch and get you up there where you can stand with broad shoulders and say I have made it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Festival Queen said the Y-WoP project symbolises her purpose in life and thanked all the participants and volunteers in the project.
“For some time, in my mind, I have been wondering what my purpose is. I think I have found my purpose. I am very excited, I am very elated and I am welcoming all those who are giving of themselves to participate in this project,” she said.
Team members and volunteers are mainly young professionals. A trained Psychologist and Social Worker are also a part of the Y-WoP team and they provide specialised treatment and intervention, where necessary.
Volunteers and participants meet on the last Saturday of each month. There is also ongoing dialogue between participants and volunteers through the telephone, e-mail and informal meetings.