Earlene Horne: True Ambassador
by Cheryl Johnson
Thursday 26 October 2000
Long before I understood the real meaning of development and struggle, Earlene knew. Not only did she know, she articulated intelligently on issues nationally, regionally and internationally. Her most serious concerns were politics, agriculture, education, youth, women, culture and community development in general.
She was convinced that women should be involved in the decision making process and got involved in the leadership of the United People’s Movement (UPM) when there were only a few women involved in politics in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in general. She was a frequent speaker on the political rostrum of UPM calling for social equity. She was also a member of POWER, a committee set up to nurture and encourage women to become involved in politics.
She was involved in the early beginnnings of the National Farmers Union and serverd on the executive as well as worked for the organisation for over ten years. Earlene herself was a farmer and earned her livelihood that way. On many occasions, she represented the Union at conferences at home and overseas.
Earlene was serious about education, so much so that although in her earlier years she did not gain passes at O(ordinary) and A(advanced) Levels, she later attended classes and gained over five passes, some at the ’A’ level. Earlene has been involved in several parent-teacher associations at the executive level. Not so long ago, with much sucess, she spearheaded activities to get the Ministry of Education to address some crucial educational issues, from enhancing the number of teachers in some schools, to repairing and upgrading others. An avid reader, she craved knowledge and found it everywhere.
She was a member of the National Council of Women for many years, serving in different capacities, the las being president. She was a member of CAFRA and a founding member of the Committee for the Development of Women (CDW). As recent as 1995, she participated in the Certificate Programme in Gender Studies at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, choosing to research communication among rural women and its role in rural development.
Our sister Earlene is not with us today in life. Many of us are convinced that she has made a positive contribution to development, and has left some good examples for us. Let us ask ourselves what contributions we are making to society. Can we really stand up and be counted? I am glad that a few organisations saw her work as being worthy of recognition and honoured her while she was alive. She vas truly an ambassador for St. Vincent and the Grenadines in many ways.
She was convinced that women should be involved in the decision making process and got involved in the leadership of the United People’s Movement (UPM) when there were only a few women involved in politics in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in general. She was a frequent speaker on the political rostrum of UPM calling for social equity. She was also a member of POWER, a committee set up to nurture and encourage women to become involved in politics.
She was involved in the early beginnnings of the National Farmers Union and serverd on the executive as well as worked for the organisation for over ten years. Earlene herself was a farmer and earned her livelihood that way. On many occasions, she represented the Union at conferences at home and overseas.
Earlene was serious about education, so much so that although in her earlier years she did not gain passes at O(ordinary) and A(advanced) Levels, she later attended classes and gained over five passes, some at the ’A’ level. Earlene has been involved in several parent-teacher associations at the executive level. Not so long ago, with much sucess, she spearheaded activities to get the Ministry of Education to address some crucial educational issues, from enhancing the number of teachers in some schools, to repairing and upgrading others. An avid reader, she craved knowledge and found it everywhere.
She was a member of the National Council of Women for many years, serving in different capacities, the las being president. She was a member of CAFRA and a founding member of the Committee for the Development of Women (CDW). As recent as 1995, she participated in the Certificate Programme in Gender Studies at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, choosing to research communication among rural women and its role in rural development.
Our sister Earlene is not with us today in life. Many of us are convinced that she has made a positive contribution to development, and has left some good examples for us. Let us ask ourselves what contributions we are making to society. Can we really stand up and be counted? I am glad that a few organisations saw her work as being worthy of recognition and honoured her while she was alive. She vas truly an ambassador for St. Vincent and the Grenadines in many ways.
http://www.cafra.org/spip.php?article428
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I feel a sense of appreciation that my mother's work is still being recognized.
My mother was a staunch advocate of Women rights and believed that it could only be achieved through us (women) educating ourselves. Her favorite quote was " I was educated in ignorance and re-educated through experience"
This week on the 11th March is 13 years since she died. Her legacy lives on and on the 12th of March the Diamonites Community Organisation (of which she was a founding member) would be formally erecting a sign officially naming the square where her funeral took place in her memory.
We loved her dearly; and now that we are big Men and Women we have come to understand and appreciate her convictions, her struggles and her teachings.
Safiya
Saf your mother was truly amazing