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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On Friday, April 29, the PACE Foundation celebrated burning down its mortgage and renaming the institution the Andrea E. Archer Institute – named after its founder and the first Chief School Welfare Officer of the Bahamas.
In her speech, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training Glenise Hannah-Martin told Mrs. Archer: “I am proud to know you; I am proud of you as a Bahamian woman. I am in awe of your courage. You have to fight against the status quo. You fight for the girls in our country who are not in the headlines. You tell all of us that their lives matter and that they have a future waiting for them. It is so heroic on so many levels because you have to overcome so many obstacles to get to that place with those girls.
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“On behalf of the Ministry of Education, the PACE program and the government, I salute you, this God-centered woman, I thank you because you signal to us how we should view ourselves because we are all imperfect. We all make mistakes. God is a God who gives us second chances and He allows us to redeem ourselves.
“The women of this village have stood up for these girls, they come from communities that are struggling in all areas and they feel it is important to light the way for these girls.”
Minister Hannah Martin thanked the Zonta Club, the PACE Foundation and its partners for their contributions.
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Also present at the ceremony were the Prime Minister’s wife, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, well-wishers, government representatives, family members and members of the PACE Foundation Board of Directors who witnessed the ceremony at the newly renovated East Street College courtyard. A commemorative plaque and signage were unveiled and a commemorative cake was cut.
Ms. Andrea E. Archer, a registered nurse, medical social counselor, college lecturer and pioneer in school social work, began working in the Department of Public Health in 1969, where she started a program for teenage mothers. She then moved to the Department of Education to work in school social work.
She introduced school social work to the agency and visited schools and homes to counsel at-risk students and their families.
Under her leadership, the School Welfare Committee expanded its role to include raising funds for needy families in need of clothing, rent payments, food parcels and scholarships.
In addition, she founded the Student Mothers Clinic to help pregnant students who were suspended/expelled from school. Later, the program was renamed the Student Mothers Continuing Education Program and then PACE
Sonya Brown, president of the PACE Foundation, called Ms. Archer a woman who was capable and ready to challenge the status quo.
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“What stands out about Andrea is her compassion, integrity, and ability to see the light in people’s struggling and chaotic lives. She doesn’t just pray, she acts on her convictions and pushes for change, not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary. During these less than ideal times, a quiet revolution is brewing, led by a woman who is bold enough to ask, who benefits when young mothers are denied an education?
“By the mid-1980s, she was able to tap into the silent revolutionaries in Nassau’s Zonta Club. While persuasion took some time, they threw all their influence into the PACE program, and in the process they provided much-needed role models, access to highly qualified speakers, food and clothing assistance, scholarships, and ultimately the establishment of the PACE Foundation to further expand the sphere of influence,” she said.
Ms Archer said the journey has not been an easy one. It takes courage, perseverance and persistence to give pregnant students a second chance despite negative criticism and vilification,” she said.
“We are delighted to see the beautifully renovated building and savor the fruits of our labor. This would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the PACE Foundation Board of Directors, its many social partners and family members.
“Supporters and opponents alike have witnessed firsthand our genuine love and determination to help student moms re-enroll after having children. The career success of these girls proves that they are respected once they are given a second chance and that they are productive citizens capable of raising their children,” the award recipients said.
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