BAVINA SOOKDEO
At 50, Rose-Collins has dedicated herself to transforming lives through her organisation, Yes She Can, pioneering initiatives that promote health, wellness and community empowerment. Recently, she became one of only two National Board Certified Health and Wellness coaches (NBC-HWC) in Trinidad and Tobago. Only 10,000 health coaches globally are NBC-HWC.
A journey of transformation
Rose-Collins’s journey to becoming a health and wellness advocate was deeply personal. The mother of one, grandmother of two, and happily married for 30 years, Rose-Collins was born in Mon Repos, San Fernando.
In 2013, after years of misdiagnosis, she discovered she had coeliac disease (a genetic autoimmune disorder in which gluten triggers your white blood cells to attack the villi that line your small intestines). This, coupled with a history of poor health and surgery, propelled her towards a path of self-discovery and transformation.
Rose-Collins embraced dietary changes and introduced exercise into her routine, starting with walking, and witnessed positive changes in her health and physique. Rose-Collins transitioned from a sedentary lifestyle to running a half-marathon within nine months, embodying the principles of resilience and perseverance.
Her journey didn’t end with personal transformation; it blossomed into a movement. Through social media, she shared her experiences, inspiring others to embark on their wellness journeys.
As peoples witnessed her physical changes, “They became motivated to try new things, to join me in working out and trying new recipes. As a result, Yes She Can was born, as a space to share and motivate others,” Rose-Collins related.
On her decision to become a wellness coach, she said it came from “a nagging feeling that there was more that I could bring to the table than just my transformation story…that I could make a more meaningful difference in the lives of others.
“I completed my certificate with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in 2019 and then went on to obtain my credentials as a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). This certification requires rigorous training and testing, equipping coaches with the knowledge, skills and techniques needed to effectively support clients in achieving their health and wellness goals.”
Yes She Can!
Yes She Can, launched on International Women’s Day in 2015, encapsulates Rose-Collins’s vision of inclusivity, empowerment, and community support.
“The idea of Yes She Can came to me after completing the UWI half-marathon in 2014, and I thought about how far along my journey I came and how much joy completing this event gave me.”
Living more healthily, she said, “gave me a type of freedom and happiness that I had not experienced before.
“I have a loving and supportive family and have always enjoyed my life, but this was different. I think that for the first time in my life, I was doing something for me! This was too good to keep to myself, and I wanted to share with others.”
Launched with t
