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Defending her Project Prom initiative, Penal Debe Community Organisation head Karissa Collin yesterday denied her decision to lend graduation clothing to underprivileged students for free was motivated by politics.
Responding to critics who openly knocked her initiative after it was reported in this newspaper, Collin said she had been out of politics for two years and now that she was a young mother of two she wanted more than ever to make T&T a better place for the children.
Collin contested the local government elections in 2013 and 2016, firstly on an Independent Liberal Party ticket and later for the People’s National Movement, but lost both times as the seats were retained by the United National Congress.
“People are saying that I am doing this for politics, but it is not true. I grew up being charitable. My mother, Donna Narace, instilled this in me and I am now married to a man who is also very charitable because he grew up in a poor family. Together we are trying to help the underprivileged,” Collin said.
It was in 2011, at the age of 18 after participating in a housing census, that Collin formed the Penal/Debe Community Organisation.
“Doing that census changed my life. For the first time I realised how many people in my area were living in abject poverty and squalor,” she recalled.
“In Diamond, Debe, Hermitage and Penal, some children did not have food. When I got home that day I could not even eat. I realised that I had to help people. I started thinking about entering political life and I did. That desire to help was what led to the formation of the Penal Debe Community Organisation.”
She said the Project Prom was the brainchild of her husband Rennie Gopiesingh, who recalled not being able to attend his graduation dance because he could not afford a suit.
“The majority of people congratulated us for what we are doing but a few called to ridicule us. We know why we are doing this. If anyone wants to attend their graduation prom we are here to help,” Collin said.
She added that people from as far as Maraval and Arima called to donate dresses.
“We have set up drop-off points at Elvin’s Rim World in Debe and Lyshell’s Company at Triangular Mall, Penal. We are going to collect some dresses from Maraval. The owner of a clothing store in Princes Town called us to say we can come and collect a batch of brand new dresses,” Collin said.
She also added that volunteers have also offered to do hair and make-up for the students.
Collin said she planned to showcase some of the girls who benefited from the project, but said anyone who wanted confidentiality will be given that respect.
“We know some people may not want their friends and family to know they got a free dress, so if that is the case we won’t tell,” she added.
Gopiesingh said so far they have collected an additional 60 dresses. He said apart from this, the organisation had over 30,000 pieces of clothing to distribute along with brand new footwear. This clothing give-away will take place at the couple’s Chitar Trace, Mohess Road, Penal home on May 5 from 2-5 pm.
Anyone wanting to collect clothing can call Collin or Gopiesingh at 329-7170/ 303-9152.