For as far back as she can remember, Linda Henry has loved school, but, unfortunately, there have always been barriers to furthering her education. Her father was a cane cutter in Guyana, where she was raised, and her mother supplemented the family income by selling homemade snacks and fruits from their farm. They did not make enough money to send Linda to college. When she got older, after having a family of her own, she postponed her dreams of going to college in favor of providing for her children.
For the past seven years Linda has worked as a home health aide, delivering vital care to patients who have recently completed a hospital stay or who have chronic illnesses that require constant monitoring. She works with each patient for four to six weeks as their health improves, and finds deep purpose in her job.
“When my patients tell me ‘you are a good person’ or ‘I like how you take care of me,’ I know that I am doing the right thing,” she says. “If I am faithful in the little things that I do and make someone else happy, I am fulfilling my purpose.”
Now, with the help of the Basil Paterson Scholarship, she is able to achieve her dreams of going back to school, while continuing her passion to care for others. Currently, she is attending the New York City College of Technology. She is majoring in Human Services and has a GPA of 3.4. Her hope is to become a social worker.