Me and the team have been working on the ‘Woman of Strength’ issue and we are confident that you are going to find the features both touching and inspiring. We ask each interviewee this question: Who gives you inner strength?

My great grandmother with my mother and her great grandchild

Without a doubt I get my inner strength from my mother, but I started to think about where she got her strength from. When I asked her she promptly told me that she got it from her grandmother. I have talked about my great grandmother, who turns 103 in April on numerous occasions. Because of the tender love and care she reared my mother with, I have the most loving and supportive mother anyone could wish for.

A few days ago I came across a documentary on the Grenadian revolution produced by John Douglas. During the 1970s, Grenada’s political situation became increasingly violent. The Grenadian People’s Revolutionary Militia was created by the New Jewel Movement a New Joint Endeavour for Welfare, Education, and Liberation. In 1979, the New Jewel Movement under Maurice Bishop launched a paramilitary attack on the government resulting in its overthrow. The movement took control of the country with a successful revolution and ruled by decree until being deposed by the US military after its 1983 invasion.

At 6.36 minutes to my surprise there was my great grandmother at the age of 73 saying that she joined the militia to protect her grandchildren. There you have it, a woman of strength who put her family first so that they could fulfil their goals and aspirations and continues to be a pillar of her family and community.

My great grandmother, local residents and the previous and current prime ministers Keith Mitchell and Tilman Thomas cutting the ribbon for the official opening of Birch Grove bridge