Well-deserved.
This was the common sentiment after Shihan Marva John-Logan was honoured with three national awards, within days of each other, for her social development work, community service and youth advocacy in her Enterprise community.
On Republic Day, John-Logan was awarded the Hummingbird Medal (Gold) for social work and community service at the national awards ceremony at President’s House in St Ann’s. Some days earlier, on September 21, John-Logan received the Youth Mentor award while the dojo-NGO she co-founded and is the executive director of, the Ryu Dan Youth Empowerment Foundation, won the Model Youth Development Programme award at the National Youth Awards at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.
In an interview with Sunday Newsday, John-Logan said she feels like her recent wins are an affirmation from God that she is “on the right path,” despite the many challenges she has faced.
“Honestly, I feel that God is saying hold on you are the on right path. These awards came at a trying time in my life. So many obstacles – lack of infrastructure, funding, resources, volunteers, and the list goes on.
“Serving God, country, and community is sometimes very difficult. Just when I felt that I am not doing enough to help improve the lives of the most vulnerable – whether it be at risks youths, girls and women, Venezuelans migrant families or high-risk communities through my sports plus model – guess what God did? Yes, he reassured me that he sees my faith, commitment, love, passion, and dedication to humanity.”
John-Logan said while it felt good for her hard work to be acknowledged on a national level, she asserted her passion is not fuelled by this.
“My social work, advocacy, community work and Ryu Dan is not about rewards or accolades, rather it’s about ensuring that every individual gets an opportunity to be the best that they can be and becomes a respectable, productive, model citizen of Trinidad and Tobago.
[caption id="attachment_1037928" align="alignnone" width="1024"] hihan Marva John-Logan, left, receives the Hummingbird Medal (Gold) for for social work and community service from President Christine Kangaloo, on September 24, 2023. - Photo courtesy Office of the President[/caption]
“My reward is really the lives that have been impacted, persons who move away from crime and violence, persons who have been inspired to do more, be more, love more.”
John-Logan said the Ryu Dan Empowerment Foundation which provides a range of sports, academic, mental health, mentorship and entrepreneurial service programmes, will continue to pursue its civil responsibility mandate to TT to provide “platforms, interventions and programmes to improve lives holistically.”
President of the Dass Trace Youth Empowerment Committee, an Enterprise NGO that uses sports, culture and academic programmes to facilitate the holistic development of Enterprise youth, said John-Logan is an Enterprise pillar and her presidential medal award “lifts the spirit in the community.”
“It has been a lot of hard work and dedicati
