Guliana and Leonela Jacobs, two sisters, who grew up in Kwakwani, held a party for two hundred children in their hometown last Friday.
The party, an annual activity, which has been held in collaboration with the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Development Committee, was kept at the Liverpool Gardens, Rosary Avenue.
During the exercise, the children engaged in novelty games, were treated to chocolates, sweets, juices and tasty snacks and they also received gifts.
Nadia Grenville , Secretary of the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Development Committee, thanked the two sisters for taking time off from their busy schedules in North America to not only donate the gifts and other goodies but to be with the children. “We hope this is not the end of it,” Grenville said. “We are looking forward for better days ahead.”
Guliana, in a brief address, told the children that she is a child of the soil and grew up in the community just like them. She said in her growing up years, an annual Christmas party for children was held at the Workers Club. “We used to have a big Christmas Party with Santa Claus and all the little kids used to have some gifts,” she said. “Leonela and I want to maintain this tradition – hoping that would make you happy.”
Leonela reminded the audience that she taught at the Kwakwani Government Secondary School before she went abroad. Noting that she had been abroad for quite some time, Leonela observed that some of the children she had taught had become adults and were at the party with their children. In encouraging the children to have an enjoyable time, she added: “I am expecting you to do this for my grandchildren.” Leonela also called on the children to pay respects to the matriarchs of the Kwakwani community, who were present at the party, including retired nurse midwife Liverpool. “When we get to their age, we aspire to be just like them,” Leonela said. The sisters thanked Carl Liverpool, Chairman of the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Committee for spearheading the organizing and holding the party in their absence over the years.
During the party, Guliana met with Canisha Primo, who last year scored the highest marks ever for a student writing the Common Entrance Examination at Kwakwani. Canisha obtained 525 marks, which ascertained a place for her at Queen’s College. She has been able to attend Queen’s College through assistance from a partial scholarship that has been personally presented to her by Guliana Jacobs. Later in the evening the Jacobs sisters held a brief discussion with some young people, who are interested in forming a youth club in Kwakwani.
