Somwattie Jewan, a 35-year-old registered nurse in Queens, New York, has overcome a lifetime of adversity to achieve remarkable success in the medical field. Her journey from a turbulent childhood in Guyana to becoming a dedicated healthcare professional in the United States is a testament to her tenacious resilience and resolve.
Born in Tuschen, a small village in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Guyana, her earlier years were marred by poverty and domestic turmoil. She was forced to shoulder adult responsibilities at a young age, caring for her siblings and missing out on a normal childhood. Her late mother, whom she regards as her hero, was the family’s breadwinner, doing her best to provide for Somwattie and her three siblings while their father struggled with alcohol addiction.
“My mom used to buy used instruments called files, which cane harvesters use to sharpen their cutlasses. She would soak them in lemon water overnight, and by the next day, they would be shiny. She would then travel to Georgetown and sell them in front of a store. When she returned with her earnings, my dad would take the money from her to buy rum. We would probably get one good meal out of it. It was a cycle my mother couldn’t break,” she said tearfully.
