A nurse presents gifts to mothers while others look on during 'Be Inspired Day' on February 16 at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. - Contributed photos

Victoria Melhado, a recipient of the Prime Minister's 2010 'Youth In Service' Award for Excellence, is not holding back on realising her vision of making a positive impact with the country's youths and the less fortunate.

As the founder and the director of a non-denominational, non-governmental organisation called Be Inspired, her focus is not being sidetracked by her financial obstacles.

"Presently, we are seeking funding because running a charity organisation is not easy, but we are motivated by the positive results that we are seeing," Melhado, 25, said.

outreach programmes

The organisation offers services such as social-outreach programmes, school intervention, counselling, mentorship, planning of parenting seminars and health fairs, along with promotion of some cultural arts in the form of poetry and dance.

According to the registered nurse, who is a midwife at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, the oldest and the largest maternity hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean, "This organisation started last year August with proceeds from my recently published book of 32 inspirational poems titled Be Inspired."

Melhado's latest project is called 'Be Inspired Day' which was commemorated on February 16 at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital.

"The event was so well supported at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. More than 30 mothers were given newborn kits and other gifts," Melhado said.

Nurse Victoria Melhado (centre), along with two other nurses, shows off some of the gifts she presented to the Victoria Jubilee Hospital recently.