BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HER passion for cooking, her love for people and her overwhelming conviction that no one should be left hungry fuel a selfless exercise which Kimmoy Brathwaite of Tabernacle has been engaged in for more than 10 years.
More than a decade ago, she began what is now known as Brathwaite’s Kitchen; a non-profit programme which sole purpose is providing hot, nourishing meals for the less fortunate members of her and surrounding communities or for those who would not be able to prepare meals for themselves.
It is from her own pocket, and even from that of her husband Curth, that Brathwaite would use monies to purchase items to prepare meals, and on Saturdays would bring together delicious soups that she would parcel out into containers.
These filled containers would be loaded into a vehicle, often a borrowed one, and Brathwaite and her daughter Curthlin would set course for the Dieppe Bay, Parsons and other areas to deliver the hot sustenance.
SKNVibes understands that, like the expectation of the sun would rise signalling the birth of a new day, the goodwill gesture of Brathwaite’s Kitchen is one that is eagerly looked-forward-to by the recipients. As for Bratiwait, she prefers not to disappoint and when circumstances are beyond her control to the point where she cannot deliver, she is just as disappointed as the recipients of the meals.
She explained that one of the difficulties she has faced is the need of a vehicle with which to transport the meals. But she indicated that she was working on getting that issue rectified.
The mother of two said the gesture draws mixed emotions from her because, on one hand, it is a stark reminder that there are members of society who either do not have or simply could not provide for themselves. On the other hand, she is happy that she is in a position to make an impact on the lives of those individuals.
Brathwaite explained to SKNVibes that she developed the passion for helping the underprivileged because she remembers what she had to endure as a teenage mother. She said that led to the crafting of her personal philosophy that no one should be left in a state of hunger, and whatever she can do to assist she would willingly do so.
In December last, rather than cooking a single meal on Saturdays, Brathwaite took the decision to deliver baskets of food items. The cost of this venture was somewhat defrayed as a result of a takeaway dinner she had had as a fund-raiser.
With the money she raised, Brathwaite was able to pack some 20 baskets which she gladly distributed.
When Brathwaite first approached this publication about her undertaking, she explained that her sole purpose was to thank those individuals and organisations that assisted her, especially with her Christmas 2014 initiative.
She said these include, but not limited to, Kirsty Stanley of the Caribbean Credit Card Cooperation (4Cs), the staff of 4Cs, staff of the Social Security Board – of which she is an employee – Dr. Mervin Laws, Bertil Audain, her husband Curth Brathwait, her close relatives, Verlyn Benjamin, her son Omar and her daughter Curthlin, Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris and Dr. Vance Gilbert.
Notwithstanding that her motive was to express thanks, this publication is of the view that Brathwaite is worthy of commendation for her humanitarianism.
