Jamaica News:
Shamar McGrowder Mother raised him and his older brother in a single-parent home in a crime-infested garrison, Whitfield Town, off Maxfield Ave.His mother, Marie Tyndale, worked as a dressmaker to put food on the table. But there were times when he needed more to eat. And sometimes, he had nothing to eat.
McGrowder was destined to fail and ended up in a gang like many other boys his age have done. But with a strong mother and his commitment to succeed, McGrowder defied the odds and graduated from The University of the West Indies, Mona, with a degree in Management Studies. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in human resource development.
McGrowder’s early childhood education started at Prophecy Basic School, located off Maxfield Ave. He spent three years there. Then he went to St Peter Claver Primary. After spending six years at St Peter Claver, he took and passed the Grade Six Achievement Test. And he was placed at Calabar high school, where according to him, he learned valuable lessons which helped to shape him into the young he is.
But misery loves company. During McGrowder’s sophomore year at UWI, he was forced live on campus to escape rampant gang violence happening in Whitfield Town, where he lived. He said internal area conflicts came frightfully close-his cousin and best friend got murdered due to community violence. People whom he grew up with were being killed regularly, and he was affected mentally.
He said the news of his cousin’s murder affected him so much that he hit rock bottom. He wanted to quit school and throw all his University goals out the window. And he wanted to avenge in his hands. But he got good support from his friends, who convinced him that revenge was not the right thing to do. Plus, all his mother’s sacrifices would have been in vain. McGrowder yielded his friends’ advice. As a result, today, he is the first person in his family with a college degree.
McGrowder has held several leadership positions during his time at the University. He is a living testament that something good can come from Gilead.
