Graduation time is approaching and the initiative, Royalty for A Night, is continuing to assist students of form five and six with finding that all important formal wear for their graduation ball through donations from the public. The initiative, in its seventh year, is run by NGO Yes She Can.
Programme co-ordinator Roberta Rose-Collins said it began in 2015 when a secondary schoolteacher made an appeal to her friends and family on social media for donations of suitable clothes for her students.
“She basically wanted her students to graduate and knew they couldn’t afford to get their gowns. It was specifically for her students, but it kind of blew up with people sharing it and then they ended up with so much they decided to give it out, you know, wholesale distribution of clothes.”
Rose-Collins said she was in a similar position when she was graduating from secondary school.
“I didn't have that opportunity. Well my parents couldn't give it to me, and a fairy godmother really stepped in and paid for my graduation clothes and that type of thing. So when I learned about this, it was an easy decision to continue to host this type of project, and that’s what caused us to continue it for all these years.”
[caption id="attachment_1016447" align="alignnone" width="960"] A volunteer from Royalty for A Night sorts clothes donated for students to use at graduation. -[/caption]
The project kept building, with the largest distribution pre-pandemic being in 2019. During 2020 and 2021, there were no in-person graduations. In 2022, schools reopened and the initiative helped just over 100 students, Rose Collins said.
The pubic is being asked to drop off gently used and/or new formal wear, including men’s suits, accessories, and female and male shoes suitable for a formal event, at various points throughout Trinidad.
On distribution day, students must show their exam timetable as proof that they are a 2023 graduate. They can then select an outfit with matching accessories and shoes at the venue.
“Students are not required to return any of the garments or the accessories. Our only ask is that they ‘pay it forward’ when they are in a position to do so.”
Rose-Collins said the programme has expanded to include life skills sessions on distribution day, before and after the students have made their choices.
“In 2019 they would have gotten an opportunity to be exposed to things like dining etiquette, resume writing tips, things like that. What happens is when the students come there's a big crowd of them at one point and a lot of time that they sit and wait to actually be served. So instead of just having them there doing nothing we decided to introduce these life skills sessions so they can get more than an outfit, when they come they can leave with something to improve themselves.”
This year’s event is titled Strengthening Opportunities for Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) and sessions will include financial planning facilitated by Kimberly Farrah Singh; a confidence session by Rinisse Walker of HeartSpeakz Mentorsh
