Naketa West: A life dedicated to philanthropy
Published:Friday | January 3, 2020 | 12:00 AMVanessa James/Gleaner Writer -
Usually, a person takes on philanthropic endeavours for one of two reasons; they know what it is like not to have and would not want the same life for another person or they have always had plenty, but understand that the value of sharing.
Now picture someone who wants to impact lives so much that it becomes their life and career and you will see Naketa West, manager of Victoria Mutual Foundation.
What is surprising however, is that West’s path should not have taken her here as she had a love for science during her high school years.
“I had a passion for science, I really wanted to work with young people from then as a paediatrician and then chemistry came along in sixth form, they just introduced CAPE chemistry, and it was bad,” West recalled.
The need to work with young people never left and West found a way to translate this need into another career choice. She chose psychology and admitted that this career choice has helped her immensely in her current position at VM Foundation.
“I like what I do which is develop programmes as well as assess them which my psychology background assists with,” she explained, “As part of some of the things that I do, I operate at a strategic level and report to the board as well as the president of the group and I participate in strategic decisions. So, based on where we are going as a company or a foundation, I have a seat at the table.”
Now the question still stands, where did this passion for giving back come from?
Well according to West, it came when she realised that she did not want to do clinical psychology anymore and started to get involved in the different clubs and groups at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.
“I participated in the National Youth Parliament in about 2008; I had just started my master's (degree) and I also got involved with UWI STAT Ambassador Core on the university campus,” West said,
“I think by then I was getting more involved in extra-curricular activities that were engaged in advocacy and lobbying for different change. I was also an advocate for the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network; all happening at the same time and it opened my eyes to the role we needed to play as young people in our society,” she noted.
So West’s purpose is fulfilled by helping youth to see that they have something within them and that their background does not deter them from what they want to achieve. According to her, she is excited to be a part of this.
She even disclosed that while she was participating in the clubs, and pursuing her master's of science degree, she along with a friend started a foundation called M & N Foundation for Aspiring Youth.
“We focused on social skills training, scholarships and mentorship; core things that every young person needed to thrive in life,” West explained. “We even gave some scholarships and when we started, we couldn’t find money to fund our own tuition and we were funding people to go to school.”
Due to lack of funding however, M & N Foundation for Aspiring Youth is currently not operational. That has not stopped West as she still finds a way to give back on a personal level.
“There is just a general feeling of joy that you are making a difference. They are smiling, especially the kids, and when parents are crying and you hear it in their voices, you feel like wow, I really made a difference,” West said smiling, “For me, I think volunteerism is making a difference because it’s not just about you, it’s about the entire world.”
The strength and passion for charity and philanthropy that West exudes stems from an innate need, which according to her, was intensified when her daughter was born.
… VM Foundation impacting lives
“Each individual can make a difference but together we can make change and that’s what VM Foundation is seeking to do collectively with our team members and our partners,” West stated.
The VM Foundation is a young organisation as it was only registered in 2017 and has in operation since 2018. However, the foundation has making strides in their endeavours and impacting lives.
“We are trying to transform the lives of Jamaicans globally and we do that under three pillars; leadership & nation building, youth & empowerment and health & family,” West stated.
As part of its mandate, the foundation has become involved in the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast and will go into the second year of doing so in 2020, taking over from Victoria Mutual which has sponsoring the event for the last 35 years.
“The National Leadership Prayer Breakfast connects leaders to ensure there is unity and harmony, and that we uplift our leaders in spite of everything that is going on … is very important because it all begins with leadership; and we do that through that particular programme,” West explained.
The youth empowerment pillar takes the foundation into schools where they assist with youth development through social programmes and scholarships.
“Youth empowerment is where we focus on our younger individuals; we do that through social entrepreneurship. We are in about 14 schools with the British Council, it’s a partnership, and we are teaching them how to assess their environment; what are the social problems in their environment and develop businesses around that,” West shared.
She explained that during National Entrepreneurship Week 2019, an exposition was held where 10 of the 14 schools showed the products and services that they developed. West described it as an amazing experience to see students from Cumberland High School transforming tyres in ottomans and those from Guy's Hill High School making bags from old jeans.
“It was just an amazing experience seeing our young people, once they are engaged; all these wonderful things can be unleashed and unearthed from the process,” exclaimed West.
The scholarship programme is an added benefit and incentive, students who save with the bank that eligible to apply. According to West, the VM Foundation intends to have a relationship with the recipients of the scholarships.
“What we don’t want is that you just get a scholarship and then you’re gone. We want a long-standing relationship so that we can be a part of their goals and their achievements,” said West, “This year we introduced a goal setting form where we are going to track the young people based on their personal goals, academic goals and savings goals,” West explained.
She said the aim is to educate youth and make them more aware of the importance of not just academia, but financial literacy as well.
For the pillar targeting health and family, West explains that the foundation partnered with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to further impact lives.
“We partner with the Ministry of Health for their Adopt A Clinic programme and we adopted the St Jago Park Health Centre and we have doing work with them, as a part of the commitment is a financial one, but we thought we should do more so this year (2019), we had our Labour Day project there.”
The manager said the aim is to remind people that the VM Foundation is there with them and is willing to meet them where ever they are from the football field, to schools and in communities.
As such, West extended an invite to those who may be interested in volunteering by visiting the VM Foundation website at vm.foundation and applying for an area of interest.
“Through VM Foundation, I feel like I am living my purpose,” said West; a sentiment she hopes to instil in each life that is impacted by her and the team at VM Foundation.