55 / 64
“A
S A young adult, I aspired to
become a doctor and even
completed my bache-
lor of science in medical
technology.” That was the
dream Olivia Shaw had
ten years ago. Wit-
nessing her moth-
er’s acts of kind-
ness through vol-
unteerism, inspired
her to look beyond a
white coat and reach
out a helping hand. But
before becoming the great
woman she is today, she need-
ed help, including with battling
her own mental health demons,
specifically being suicidal.
Shaw explained that she felt as
though she was the cause of her
family’s financial constraints while
she attended Westwood High School.
Shaw became a loner, and began to
premeditate her own self-destruction
for a year before thinking of
attempting suicide. But through
faith, continuous prayer and by
attending counselling sessions,
she was able to overcome
that obstacle. “This
allowed me to find a
new way of han-
dling the chal-
lenges that I
face in my life
without burden-
ing myself. The
Serenity Prayer is
also a constant
reminder that I must
accept the things I can-
not change, have the
courage to change the
things I can and to develop
the wisdom to know the dif-
ference.”
Rising from the ashes of her
depression, she found her true
purpose and has made the deci-
sion to build a career around
being able to help others. Shaw
set out to make an impact,
launching her own registered non-
profit organisation – Women of
Destiny Jamaica. It has been in oper-
ation since August 2015 and officially
opened for business in October 2016, in the
Mount Salem community.
BUILDING CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE
She was always involved in volunteering,
throughout high school and university,
through various service groups, but her jour-
ney began when she took on the challenge
of becoming Miss St James Festival Queen
in 2015 as a way. to build knowledge about
her culture and empower women of her
community of Mount Salem. Shaw says that
her time as queen has been both fulfilling
and inspiring. “It has provided me with a
platform which allows me to reach a wider
scope of women in the parish, granting me
the privilege of inviting them to become a
part of Women of Destiny — a safe haven of
sisters which provides them with resources
that will aid in their purpose of awaken-
ing their journey.”
Not only is Shaw the founder and execu-
tive director of Women of Destiny, but she is
also a community development officer at the
Social Development Commission. She has a
genuine love for people and fulfilling her
work in volunteerism through activities such
as Read Across Jamaica Bay; Adopt a Sister
mentorship programme, and the Tambourine
Army March. “Volunteering is more than
giving back to those in need, it’s about con-
necting with persons, sowing positivity and
love into others’ lives thus also enriching
yours. It’s a journey that will lead you to
uncovering your true purpose which
will give you so much joy.”
THE GLEANER’S FLAIR MAGAZINE • MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018
31
logo
D
istinguished
THE
Volunteerism
a woman of
inspiration
OLIVIA SHAW
“The Serenity Prayer is also a constant reminder
that I must accept the things I cannot change,
have the courage to change the things I can and
to develop the wisdom to know the difference.”