Change starts small

The children of Westbury fight a daily struggle against poverty. With a raging battle against drug abuse and a high unemployment rate, these kids – more often than not – go to school hungry. One of these kids is Paul, a 16-year old who shares a home with 30 people – including his younger siblings and out-of-work parents. He has a lot of potential, but hunger and poverty have been stumbling blocks on his road.

Auntie Sherlaine is a woman with a big heart and a solution to one of the problems her community faces. For three decades, she has been baking, and in the last few years, she has been able to open her own business. She makes a difference by focusing on something most people aren’t. She dreams of a Westbury that prospers, and feels that helping the community’s children go to school with a full tummy is one way to get there.

Every morning, she gets up extra-early to make the sandwiches that she hands out to the children of her community, making sure that they get at least one good meal every day. This food helps them concentrate better and learn more. And her generosity is bearing even more fruit. When Paul approached Auntie Sherlaine to help him learn about making bread and then sharing this skill with his siblings and friends, she leapt at the chance to pass on her skills. It is a story of love for a community and hope for a bright future in which everyone can prosper. When we grow, society prospers, and when society prospers, we all grow.

Watch Westbury’s story: