Elaine Evans

"A life-changing experience." That's how Elaine Evans describes her tenure at Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB).

An employee for the last 13 years, Ms. Evans started out as an office attendant and two years later was promoted to caregiver when the company's nursery started.

Her journey started on July 11, 1994. "I was out of a job for eight months ... I heard about the job from the marketing manager of my previous place of employment. I did the interview one afternoon and started two days later," Ms. Evans told Flair. But the real change came two years later.

"(One day) Mrs. Joan Duncan called me (into her office) and asked me how I saw myself in the next 10 years. I was startled. Anyway, I told her what I liked most, what my strengths were, I liked catering and I liked dealing with children," Ms. Evans explained.

That seemed to be all Mrs. Duncan wanted to hear, as part of her dream for JMMB was to have a nursery for the children of staff.

Following the discussion, the company paid for Ms. Evans' tenure at Doncaster School of Practical Nursing, and the rest is history.

Now the senior caregiver, she reflects: "Mrs. Duncan said to me, 'I'm sending you off but if you fail, you're paying me back my money'. When I passed the course, she was very excited."

The job has been very rewarding for the mother of five.

"I like dealing with children, they make you laugh, there is never a dull day with them. If there is a time of the day that you feel down, there is always a child to uplift your spirit," she points out.

"I look at this job as very important, because people have to trust you to leave their children in your care for eight hours per day and more," she added.

- Yahneake Sterling