Children's Ark president Simone De La Bastide, centre, cuts the ribbon with Wayne Jordan, for his new home at Beetham Gardens, Port of Spain on November 23. - Photo by Faith Ayoung
AFTER 40 years of selfless dedication to vulnerable children, 1998 Public Service Medal of Merit recipient Wayne Jordan has been rewarded with a gift of security and comfort: a two-bedroom home for himself and his four grandchildren.
The home was funded by the non-governmental organisation the Children’s Ark.
“God is good!” Jordan exclaimed as he received the keys to the modest but comfortable home, built from two retrofitted 40-foot shipping containers joined by a covered porch. The new home sits behind the derelict galvanised structure where he lived for over four decades at Beetham Gardens, in Port of Spain.
“I’m so emotional right now,” Jordan said, fighting back tears on November 23.
The home is a short distance from the two schools he founded: the All in One Child Development Centre, a preschool, and Each One Teach One Special School, which caters to children aged four-16 who have been excluded from mainstream schools owing to extreme poverty, special needs, a lack of documentation or immigration status.
>
Jordan’s tireless efforts to care for the most vulnerable children won the admiration of Simone de la Bastide, president of the Children’s Ark, nearly 25 years ago – long before the charity was established in 2013. De la Bastide is the widow of former president of the Caribbean Court of Justice Michael de la Bastide.
Jordan initially ran the school out of a galvanised shed before moving to an abandoned concrete building, which provided a safer, more conducive environment for his students. The Children’s Ark, with assistance from the Army Reserve, later upgraded the school’s infrastructure significantly.
Jordan consistently prioritised the needs of others, often neglecting his own comfort and welfare, de la Bastide said.
About a year ago, when his roof began leaking profusely, Jordan contacted de la Bastide, asking for a few sheets of galvanise to patch it. But after visiting his home, the Children’s Ark directors decided to forego a patch job and committed to building a new two-bedroom house for him and his grandchildren.
The project was funded by the Children’s Ark, with assistance from the Costelloe family of Lifetime Solutions, who donated roofing materials.
Jordan’s efforts have previously attracted support from local and international organisations. In 2000, the UK High Commission and Women in Action for the Needy and Destitute (WAND) upgraded his school by installing essential facilities, including electricity and flooring. That same year, his work received international recognition when then-Prince Charles visited the school during an official trip to TT.
Jordan has also received several accolades for his contributions. In 1998, he was awarded the Medal of Merit (Gold) for his work in education and community service. In 2021, he was honoured by the Maharishi Institute of Science and Technology of TT for his "selflessness and continued dedication" to the children of Port of Spain.
As the principal of Each One Teach One and parent outreach facilitator at the All in One Child Development Centre, Jordan has helped empower and mentor thousands of children and young adults.
The Children’s Ark has supported his work in the past, providing classroom furniture, supplies, and resources to improve conditions at Each One Teach One, aligning with the NGO’s mission to support underprivileged children.
>
Earlier this year, the Children’s Ark converted a 40-foot container into a learning centre in Penal for Venezuelan migrant children, many of whom had been out of school for years.
In 2015, the organisation collaborated with the Inter-Agency Task Force, the Daren Ganga Foundation, and Each One Teach One on an eight-month sports programme for 200 young residents of Beetham Gardens.
Wayne Jordan with his daughter, Jazzahrie JordanMayhew, daughter and grandaughter Khaleesi Jordan-Mayhew, in the living room of his new home in Beetham Gardens, Port Spain. - Photo by Faith Ayoung
Over the years, the Children’s Ark has raised millions of dollars for initiatives benefiting children, including an anti-child trafficking awareness and prevention programme, a literacy and library project at the Port of Spain Prison in partnership with Newsday columnist and Wishing for Wings founder Debbie Jacob, and a new surgical ward and operating theatre at the Princess Elizabeth Centre.
Jordan’s schools have nurtured many students who have excelled academically, with several earning places at top secondary schools such as Queen’s Royal College and Bishop Anstey, before excelling in their careers.
The educator, who was born and raised in San Fernando, boarded at the now-closed St Michael’s Home for Boys in Diego Martin.
He said he felt compelled to remain in Beetham Gardens after moving there in the mid-1980s.
“When I came here, I recognised the boys and girls were not going to school,” he said.
Jordan recounted his emotional reaction when he asked de la Bastide for help.“She said, ‘You’re always seeing about people. What about you?’ I never thought about that.”
>
De la Bastide said renovating Jordan’s home would have cost between $600,000 and $700,000, but constructing a new house came in at under half the cost.
“The contractor, Mr Wilson, has done a fine job, but not without challenges,” she said. Labour was difficult to secure, as some workers from the area faced gang-related issues. Workers were eventually brought in from as far as Mayaro to complete the project.
Beetham Gardens has long been stigmatised as a “hot spot,” but de la Bastide praised Jordan’s unwavering commitment to the children in one of the country’s most disadvantaged communities.
“Too often, we hear only negative things about the Beetham community, but today, this is good news. Something good has come out of the Beetham.”
