Recipient of the Kregg Nurse Memorial Scholarship Award, Dwaine Clarke, is using the opportunity to inspire other people with a disability.
The 30-year-old Grenadian yesterday became the first non-Barbadian to win the scholarship, which assists students with a disability.
Despite being hearing impaired in both ears, Clarke has not let it slow him down in his pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and finance at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill.
While being grateful for the opportunity, he had a word of encouragement for others like himself.
“My message to persons with a disability is to believe in yourself. You too can achieve your dream; you too can do it,” Clarke said during his address at Caribbean Catalyst Inc. in River Road, St Michael.
Clarke said his self-esteem was severely affected as a child because he was teased by other students. This all changed one day when he discussed his hardship with a family member, who told him there was nothing wrong with wearing a hearing aid.
Through this discussion, Clarke said he learnt about several successful people, like former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr Eric Williams, who also had a disability.
“This motivated me [to] achieve my dreams,” he said.
The award was established by Caribbean Catalyst 14 years ago in memory of Nurse, who suffered from muscular dystrophy. (AD)
