Wanda Samantha Fortune

The changing fortunes of a determined youngster …

AT ONE TIME, she sold newspapers on the streets to help her family make ends meet. Now a student of the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer, she is not ashamed to identify herself to erstwhile sceptics as the former “Paper Girl.” 

Meet the young and vibrant, confident and talented Wanda Samantha Fortune, a 25-year-old who grew up in Sophia, Greater Georgetown, nurturing her childhood dream of becoming a lawyer or a doctor, not because she was particularly enamoured of either of those professions, but because they represented the kinds of jobs that seemingly raked in the most money; and her desire was to make money.

Different
She had a special desire to be different, to be independent, to be the opposite of some of the females she observed in her family. Those women struggled through many hardships totally dependent on their spouses; and observing their peculiar handicap, Wanda resolved that she would never become like that.
Consequently, she started paying more attention in the classrooms, thereby improving her grades. Wanda thus performed outstandingly at all of the schools that were privileged to have her on their register.

She graduated from the International Business College (IBC), formerly located in Thomas Street, North Cummingsburg, as the most outstanding student at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, and with a Certificate in Business Studies,    she applied to the University of Guyana (UG) as well as to several sixth form schools. She loved business and wanted to pursue a degree in Business Management at UG right after school. It was when she approached her aunt Dawn John to guarantee her loan that her Aunt Joan, who happened to be there at the time, advised her to consider attending sixth form first.
Seeing the wisdom in that advice, Wanda began attending St. Stanislaus College in September 2004, where she obtained passes in Law Units I and II, Sociology Units I and II, History Units I and II, Caribbean Studies and English Literature.
Time spent at St Stanislaus College convinced Wanda that she wanted to become a lawyer for the right reason -- it was no longer just about the money. “There, I developed a love and appreciation for the law and wanted to do it more than anything else. Now I wanted to do it because I could not get enough of it, I just loved it,” she said in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
Pressing on, Wanda made her way to UG in September 2006, where she graduated with credit in obtaining her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree, the first professional degree in law.

Stumbling blocks
This resolute young woman encountered many stumbling blocks along the way, but she had big dreams for herself. Despite financial difficulties, self doubts, and naysayers who pontificated that she was not good enough to achieve her dreams, Wanda Samantha Fortune persevered in her quest to rid herself of the tentacles of ignorance and poverty.
Topping her class produced ridicule and teasing from her peers. “There were those who teased me and called me all sorts of demeaning names because I was ‘the paper girl’,” she recalls.
Many of the sixth form students were from the top schools; and Wanda, leaving IBC, which was not as popular as the other schools, was a virtual pariah for some of them. “One girl delighted in pointing this out to me every opportunity she got. On one occasion, I told her, “We are all here now, and so what’s your point?
“Today, when people call me ‘the newspaper girl’, I am not offended. I am proud to acknowledge and proclaim that I am ‘the paper girl’, and I do not hesitate to let people know that I am ‘the newspaper lady daughter’,” Wanda declared.

Law School
She suffered a severe illness and was unable to write her final exam to complete her LLB degree at UG, but although Wanda took some time off, she persevered in her ambition to attend law school to read for her Legal Education Certificate (LEC).
During the time of her illness, she contemplated on how she was going to raise the tuition fee of Gy$4M for the two years, and at least another Gy$2M for accommodation, clothing, food and other incidentals. “I knew that mom had worked wonders in the past, but I also knew that she was no magician; and that was no small amount of money to get, especially on a newspaper vendor’s (earnings).”
Wanda deferred writing the exam until the following year, hoping that this would give her and the family enough time to come up with the money for her studies.
However, a family tragedy diverted a significant amount of that money. “This is it,” Wanda recalled thinking. “I will have to shelve my dreams of going to Hugh Wooding for now, and do something else.”
By this time, she had already submitted her application to law school, as required, but she did not bother to submit other required documents because, she figured, “Why bother? I wouldn’t be able to go even if I was accepted.”
“Imagine my surprise when I opened my e-mail on Friday, September 17, 2010 and saw a class schedule from the Hugh Wooding Law School. I was a bit confused because I knew that I had not submitted the required documents to be accepted; but, on the other hand, I also knew that I had to be accepted to receive a class schedule.
“I checked my previous mail and realised that a letter offering me a place was sent almost two weeks before. I was elated to be accepted, but crestfallen because I thought that I would not have been able to go.
“School had started the previous Monday, and the following Tuesday was the last day for registration. However, I thought that I should at least let mom know that I was accepted. Mom asked when the deadline for the registration was, and I told her Tuesday, but that I would have to be there in person to submit the documents. She told me, ‘That means you have to be on a plane by Sunday’.
“I remember thinking: ‘How is that possible? I don’t have anything and we don’t have that kind of money’. With the assistance of relatives and friends, I was in Trinidad on Tuesday, September 21, 2010.
“When I went to school, one of my colleagues looked at me puzzled and said, “Wanda! What are you doing here?” and I simply replied, “The same thing that you are doing here.”

An excellent mother
Wanda credits her mother, Mrs. Dorothy Blackman-Fordyce, for most of the achievements she has made thus far. “Her love for her children is endless and unparalleled. She never expressed her love for us in words… she demonstrates her love for us on a daily basis by the things she does, has given up, and continues to give up. The sacrifices that she has made for us… no poetic expression of love can adequately describe that.”
Mrs. Fordyce secured a loan to pay for Wanda’s first year tuition, and was able to work and pay for the first semester of the second year. The tuition for the second semester is yet to be paid, “But mom, being mom, is confident that she will be able to pay it in a timely manner.
“Every time I ask mom how we are going to get the money, she tells me to concentrate on my school work and passing my exams, and that she will take care of the rest,” Wanda related.
“She saw the potential in me from the beginning, and decided to invest in me before I even believed that I would amount to anything. We never had the latest brand name clothing, but we always had the latest edition text books. My mother was and remains my greatest inspiration.  She cooks, bakes, knits, sews, made blocks when we were building our house, painted, puttied, lacquered, etc. If I could be half the woman that my mother is, I would consider myself to be extremely accomplished.
“She also told us that, ‘just because you are selling newspapers doesn’t mean that people are better than you. You are to be respectful to people, but, in the same vein, do not allow them to disrespect you because of what you do’.”
Wanda’s aunt, Mrs. John, had told Wanda that she was going to be the one to set a path for her siblings and relatives to follow, and she was very proud of Wanda when Wanda received her CSEC results. Her husband, Uncle Mark, was the one who stood guarantor so that Wanda could have obtained loans to pursue her LLB Degree at UG.
Wanda also received her inspiration from Sir Aaron Lennox, who taught her at IBC, Professor Aubrey Bishop at UG, and Teacher Seivewright Benjamin, also known as ‘Benjie,’ of St. Stanislaus College.

No regrets
Wanda went through many difficulties in reaching where she is today, but she has never regretted her decisions, mistakes, trials and tribulations notwithstanding. “I believe that they (the negatives) have worked together with my triumphs to mould me into the exceptional individual that I have become.
“I was many firsts in my family: the first to write CSEC, the first to write CAPE, and the first to attend university. I say first because I will by no means be the only one. I have merely laid the foundation; it is now for my siblings and relatives to complete the structure.
“I already have my sisters and several cousins following on my heels, and I am ecstatic. My only prayer is that they are not content to follow; I pray that they surpass my achievements and blaze their own trails.”
Wanda served as a member of PYARG, as the Administrative Assistant for the UNAG Peace Project during April and September 2010, volunteered at the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic for over two years while she was studying at the University of Guyana, and was a Liaison Officer for the St. Lucian Delegation at Carifesta.
At Legal Aid, she credits Mr. Nigel Hawke and Mr. Jolyon Hatmin for the guidance and invaluable experience she gained in matters such as divorce, restraining orders, custody, adoption, estate, criminal, etc.
She also briefly worked with Attorney Basil Williams, through whom she learned of court proceedings, the filing and service of documents, and the procedures connected therewith. She also had the opportunity to attend court to observe the law in action.
For youths like herself, who may suffer similar setbacks in life and who may have big dreams, Wanda advises: “Remember, nothing good comes easily or freely. And the harder you work to achieve what you have, the more appreciative you will be of it and the people who helped you to get there. Always remember where you came from, be humble, and try to give back whenever you can by assisting others.”
Wanda is finishing law school in the next four months. The exams are slated for May and the graduation will be in October.

Source: Guyana Chronicle

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