The Kiwanis Club of North St Andrew (KCNSA) has been hosting a series of rap sessions with the young men at Matthew 25:40 Boys Home, operated by the Mustard Seed Community, as part of its mentorship and skill development programme for the wards at the home.

The most recent session was led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Steve McGregor, operations
officer for Area 4 in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

McGregor in engaging the young men referenced his upbringing in the inner-city of Dunkirk, Kingston with his mother, aunts and cousins. Despite his background growing up in the inner-city he was able to beat the odds.

He told the young men at Matthew 25:40 that there are great possibilities for all of them irrespective of what anybody might think.

“If you stay committed, listen to your guardians/parents, you are going to make it,” McGregor explained.

The senior JCF officer engaged the young men around the three main reasons why criminals are recruiting youngsters for gangs and criminal activities.

According to SSP McGregor, gangs are recruiting young men because they are agile and can get around quickly and can transport things; they are eager to prove themselves and to ‘make duppies’; and they have not yet committed themselves and have no criminal records.

It is therefore important to find ways to engage young men to prevent them from being easily influenced by gangs.

SSP McGregor made a commitment to harness the potential and possibilities of the young men at Matthew 25:40 Boys Home to start with establishing a police youth club at the home.

In his closing remarks, president Mark Russell from the KCNSA reminded the young men that they should live as a family and cherish the friendships they make now. He noted that the members of the KCNSA remain committed to supporting the young men as they transition into independent living.

Matthew 25:40 Boys Home is residence to approximately 20 young men who were born with HIV and has been adopted by the Kiwanis Club of North St Andrew in October 2021.

The project is the club’s signature initiative for Kiwanis International. It aims to develop an effective
transitional home for the youth as they move into independent living.