Kathyann Beharry is a hearing person who volunteered at the Agape Center. As
a result the basic jewelry training plus materials provided for start-up
business, Kathy Ann has developed her own business. In visiting her
(March 2015), Lydia was most interested to discover how her business has
developed and branched to allow her to become a community trainer working
throughout Trinidad to help women come together to learn crafts and
compete to win the yearly country competition for ''best community'.
Probably the most important things
that happen in these classes are the community spirit that develops
plus the sharing of common problems that the women face. Each participant must
compete 16 crafts in the 10 week session! It is interesting to hear
Kathyann describe how women emerge from low self confidence to better their
individual life situation, just as she has over the years of being able to lift
her family by developing her jewelry business and now teaching 'community
classes'.
Kathyann provides the ideas,
mainly derived from ‘Pinterest’ on line. So, how would this family have
access to computer? Well, a number of things had to happen.
Kathyann’s family as a result of income from her jewelry business was able to
get electricity. This made a big change in their lives as all homework
had to be done before five prior to getting electric lights. Then
son Kyle, as with all students entering High School in Trinidad/Tobago, was
given a Lenovo Think Pad computer by the government. As well, a friend
gave Kathyann an older IPad and the family (because of additional income)
was able to get internet to their house).
That is not all. Water comes
to their street once a week (if they are lucky) so Monday’s had to be
dedicated to wash day because that was water day. So income from jewelry
sales bought water tanks one at a time for water storage. Water still
comes most Mondays so they fill all 7 black tanks hoping that the next Monday
the water main will again fill to replenish their supply. A real bathroom
was put in. Rooms were divided to give family member’s privacy. The
balcony was expended for Kathy Ann’s jewelry making. Her dream is to have
a room that she can dedicate to her jewelry and craft making.
Children’s educations has always
been priority. Kamisha, now 23, competed the University of Trinidad and
Tobago teacher training so tuition for four years, living and travel expenses
plus books and supplies had to be paid for. Clyde, Kathy Ann’s husband,
has a taxi business that pays the basics and not only Kathyann’s business
but Kamisha herself takes on marketing of her mother's jewelry
creations to help pay educational expenses, including helping her
mother with creative displays. Kamisha now has a contract as a teachers’
assistant to help a 7 year old boy who has never been to school before.
Kamisha is pleased to see his rapid
progress in learning to read. Kamisha thought her salary was good until
she began to realize how expensive it is to keep her fast growing son, Kaydon
(7 months of age) in diapers and formula. Kamisha and Kaydon, Kamisha’s
son, share a room in the Baharry household with the crib right beside the
bed. Kathy Ann cares for Kaydon during the day. Kamish takes
over at 3:30 when she gets home from work.
Besides soccer (called football
here), Kyle age 15 is interested in music, largely developed through
participation in the Open Bible Church in Siparia. He played two pieces,
a classical and a calypso for us. He too intends to go to
university.
Kathyann is so proud of having a
job, being able to use her skills including the discussions that happen during
the sessions that help sort out the problems the participants face.
Kathyann is paid by the hour. Each session is three hours. It takes
some time for the pay check to come through but everyone knows how nice it is
to have a pay-check to look forward to!
Now, to look at the development of
Kathyann’s own business. Kathyann Originals. Something that has
helped Kathyann with design work are the jewelry pieces that the Colchester
Community Workshop has donated over time. Kathy Ann has a special drawer
in her plastic organizer where she saves designs from CCWS that she wants to
study and replicate.
I was really impressed with the
quality of findings she uses; the best of wire, earring hangers, clamps for
finishing and clasps. She designs her own jigs to make designs she finds
on the Internet, especially on Pincrest. I love her way of storing
all her ideas under folders on her Ipad. I smiled when Kathy Ann told
me that Ian (the jewelry maker from the Agape Deaf) tells Kathy Ann in sign
language, ‘Don’t handle the findings until you wash your hands’.
The Agape Deaf still meet at the Agape Center each Sunday for church, just up
the driveway from Kathyann’s. Kathyann keeps in close touch with the deaf
by cell phone and texting. In last five years, several of the deaf have
married, some have had babies (one deaf child, one hearing child in
two different families both with two deaf parents).
Have a look at the slideshow to see
how a little help has gone a long ways to help many people.
Meet Kathyann:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E1v6w7gkkk
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