As countries around the world reflect on International Disabled Day observed yesterday Monday, December 3, group leader at Sr. Basilia Center, Marva Whilomena Nicholas, urges the people of St. Maarten to educate themselves more about the various types of disabilities that exist, have an open mind for the disabled and, more importantly, stop stigmatizing persons with disabilities.
“The message I would like to send out to the community on the occasion of International Day of the Disabled is that persons with disability or disabilities are humans and they deserve to be treated with love, respect and dignity. They should be given a right to reach their full potential thus enabling them to take their rightful place in society, without being stigmatized,” she told Health and Beauty.
Nicholas is an educator by profession and a qualified social pedagogic worker, who loves her job working with differently abled persons in St. Maarten. It is a passion she has had since she was a young child and one that she eventually turned into a career. “Honestly, I think this field has first chosen me and then I responded with much love, care and compassion.”
Nicholas describes herself as a “very dedicated, honest, loyal loving and caring person.” Born in the South American nation of Guyana, she arrived in Sint. Maarten on December 22, 1991, and has been residing here ever since.
Nicholas discovered her love for health care when she was about 10 years old. She recalls playing the role of either mother or nurse, giving much care and attention to others. “My love for working with the disabled grew a few weeks after I began working with them and has continued to grow.”
Nicholas received her primary and secondary education in her native Guyana and the latter part here in Sint. Maarten where she obtained her LBO diploma to work in day-care centres in 1997 and her Social Pedagogic Worker (SPW) certification in 2010. “I decided to study in this field (health care) to be better equipped.”
After working in several different areas in St. Maarten, including helping to educate undocumented children in the country, who at the time were barred from mainstream schools, Nicholas obtained employment at White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation’s (WYCCF) Sister Basilia Center 20 years ago and has been there ever since.
Her job as group leader working primarily with seniors entails meeting and giving holistic care to clients who are physically and mentally challenged. “This is done in a group setting using a daily schedule of activities designed to meet their daily needs, such as, social, self-help and physical skills.”
Nicholas gets a lot of pleasure from her work: “I enjoy seeing the clients grow from one milestone to another along with achieving set goals. What makes me stand out is definitely the approach that I use in creating a warm, loving, caring, fun-filled and safe environment conducive for growth and development.”
Nicholas describes her most rewarding moments on the job as being when clients enter the facility daily with smiles on their faces; when clients respond interestingly in daily activities and when their personal goals are established, executed, measured and achieved in the time frame allotted.
She believes that more businesses in the country should be wheelchair-friendly to better accommodate persons with physical disabilities. She also believes government should play a more active role in ensuring that this happens. “These concerns can be addressed via various forms of media. Voicing concerns and tabling discussions with relevant personnel.”
Nicholas shared some advice for youngsters who would like to follow in her footsteps: “First and foremost, have the foundational aspects of love, respect and empathy for people with disabilities and for people on a whole. Second, educate yourself about the various types of disabilities. Third, passionately and lovingly care and desire to continually, support and maintain persons who are challenged in various forms.”
Outside of her job as a Sr. Basilia Center group leader, Nicholas is involved with missionary services. Her future goals are to establish a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts and for prostitutes. The object is to give life changing biblical teachings that will eventually change their lives and allow them to see themselves as “God’s precious and chosen ones,” thereby giving them a sense of great value to themselves, persons and things and to their community at large.
Nicholas’ hobbies are singing, dancing, reading and motivating and meeting people. Her philosophy is: “Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Her pet peeve littering. Her biggest fear is to leave behind unfinished tasks at the end of her life’s journey.
The mother of two said anyone who wants advice or has questions about the physically or mentally challenged or about “the call of God upon their lives” can contact her at WYCCF.
