Janouras team up for education project

From raising funds for the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society to donating wheelchairs from the proceeds of her annual Christmas bazaar, she is always giving of her time and resources to a worthy cause.

Her most recent venture is planning fundraisers to support an initiative of her brother’s, George Janoura, to provide avenues to educate illiterate boys in Trinidad and Tobago. “It’s a fact that the boys are not performing like the girls...and we recognise that there is a deficiency in the system of how to teach boys, whether it is academically or how they should be taught totally,” George tells Newsday.

Although the project is still in the developmental stages, he and his team have begun raising funds in order to put programmes in place. Hannah is spearheading the events which has so far included a Wine and Cheese fundraiser, which took place at the Movie Towne Conference Hall on last month.

Hannah said that her brother asked for her help in order to jump-start his project. “I took the opportunity to do it and it was a great success...everywhere I turn someone is talking about the event.” The event included performances by Wendy Sheppard, Raquel Winchester, Wendell Constantine, Marvin Smith, Rosezanna Winchester and Kelwyn Hutcheon, among others.

George says he also has plans to get corporate TT involved.

The team is targeting the low-ranking primary boys’ schools, in particular, schools in the hot spot areas along the East-West corridor. He says it is important to target these schools because “that is where it should start.” He spoke of plans with the Massy Group to merge the current project to the Boys to Men: Rites of Passage programme designed to help young men ages 14 to 21 learn certain leadership skills and other lessons that can positively affect their lives.