“Today, it fills my heart with great joy to see some of those very young people who were once in Bambelela now excelling in college and taking their rightful place in this society and world. Through the Bambellela programme, we saved many lives, and as a result, we may have very well saved this Territory,” Premier Fahie said during his yearly First District Report and Party at the Cappoons Bay Recreation Grounds on Saturday, January 11, 2020.

“I will continue to encourage other district representatives to adopt such an initiative like Bambellela for I believe that district by district we can and will build a stronger and greener VI,” the Premier continued.

I had to travel far from the First District

In explaining his reason for implementing the programme for young children, the Premier said, “as a young man I had difficulties in three areas in English and those areas were writing, reading and speaking. And, I remember hustling to different communities across the territory at different hours of the day just to get help with tutors so that I could improve my growth and development.”

He said because of what he had to endure; he made a promise to himself that, “if I ever got money or would be placed in a position of positive influence I would pave the way for those who needed the help to get it. Because, the long journeys were not easy for me, so out of my pain came my passion to fulfil this purpose for others.”

Background

The programme, which is in its 6th year, provides an avenue for about 40 students to receive tutorial help in English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

The initiative started in 2014 at the Abraham Leonard Community Center but was relocated to the Carrot Bay Seventh-day Adventist Youth Centre following the hurricanes of 2017 that damaged the community center.

Bambelela' means 'never Give Up’ or 'hold on' in Zulu and Swahili.