Seventeen-year-old Satrupa Persaud of Coffee Grove, Region Two is a rarity because she comes from a single-parent home where her dad is both father and mother.
This year, Satrupa gave her dad 17 reasons to be happy, because despite the various challenges she encountered in the lead up to her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) studies she emerged successfully by gaining 17 subjects (15 Grade Ones and two Grade Twos).
The father toiled daily as a farmer and rearer of livestock to support her financially to ensure that she completed her studies. Satrupa said she is happy that she made him proud with her examination results. Satrupa confessed that resource wise, she was not fortunate like other children but she did make the best with whatever her father made available to her and this she says is what motivated her to persist in her studies. She said that many times she felt like giving up, but always being mindful of her goals and what she wanted to achieve in life, she gained the strength to persevere to the end.
Satrupa said that the Covid-19 pandemic did affect her studies and there was a period when she had “dropped” back in her secondary school’s competencies. Satrupa said that this was the juncture when face-to-face classes had to be discontinued to reduce the soaring infections. The young lady said that she stayed up late at nights to ensure that all her assignments were completed and this enabled her to find balance with her [school’s] assignments and household chores. “It was not an easy task. I had to remain focused and I am proud that I did it not only for myself but my family”, Satrupa declared.
Satrupa is not unaccustomed to academic success; she was also a top performer for Sparta Primary at the NGSA examinations by emerging 7th of the region’s top performers. She is also the recipient of several accolades and gaining first place in her classes several times counts amongst her most cherished achievements. Satrupa wants to become an ophthalmologist. She is hoping that she can secure a scholarship to aid her pursuit of her life’s dreams.
“I know what it is to come from a poor and single-parent home, these results have changed my life forever. I know I can become someone tomorrow and also make my parent[s] proud,” Satrupa added.
Satrupa used the Stabroek News interview as an opportunity to express her gratitude to the persons who she felt were responsible for her success to date. She admits that she can never thank her teachers and father enough for their unwavering support. Her dad, Kawal said his daughter’s achievement brought tears to his eyes.
