ACCESO Project Feature: The Bahamas

In the early 2000s, we provided post-secondary bursary support to youth of Haitian heritage on the Island of Eleuthera.  Such assistance enabled life-changing educational opportunities for racially and economically marginalized youth. 

One of the sponsored students, Bernadette, graduated from Success Training College in Nassau as a medical assistant in 2004. Through her own tireless efforts, she went on to become an award-winning nurse who has specialized in gerontology and psychiatry. We are delighted to highlight her accomplishments.

Growing up having one parent as the breadwinner was hard.  Some days my family and I would go to sleep hungry; the next day we did not know where our food was coming from.  Throughout school, I pushed and pushed, determined that I would be going to college; however due to my family’s financial problems, going to college seemed only like a dream, not a reality. It was not until I was accepted by ACCESO International, an institution I will forever say and believe changed my life. They gave me time and the opportunity to attend a local College in 2001; there I graduated with an Associates Degree in Medical Assistant.  This was only the start of my career. With this degree, I got a job at a private clinic, and was able to go to The College of The Bahamas to study nursing.  In 2016 I graduated with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing. I now work at the public hospital and was the Nurse of the Year in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. I am forever grateful for ACCESO.  I pray that God continue to bless them for they have been a blessing to many others.

Bernadette