FOR 17-year-old Karishma Dhanoopdarie, success at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations is more than a collection of impressive grades. It is the result of years of determination, sacrifice and a refusal to allow difficult circumstances to define her future.
The Anna Regina student, the daughter of Devika Ahwad and Jagjeet Dhanoopdarie, achieved an outstanding 17 subjects at this year’s examinations, comprising 13 Grade Ones and four Grade Twos.
The achievement represents a major milestone in the young woman’s journey, which began with an ambition to build a better future through education and was shaped by the values she learned from watching her parents work to provide for their family.
Karishma grew up in a household closely connected to the beauty and grooming industry. Her mother, the owner of Devika’s Beauty Salon, works as a hairdresser, while her father is a barber. Watching them build their livelihoods through their skills taught Karishma early lessons about commitment, discipline and the importance of earning success through perseverance.
While her parents built their own businesses, Karishma set about building a path of her own through education.
Her academic journey, however, was not without challenges. Balancing schoolwork, responsibilities and the pressure to perform sometimes tested her confidence, while financial constraints made certain opportunities difficult to access.
Still, she refused to allow those circumstances to become limitations.
Instead, Karishma remained focused on the future she envisioned for herself, using every challenge as motivation to work harder.
“I wanted to make something of myself and know that all the hard work and sacrifices were worth it,” she said.
After 11 years of schooling, her results have given her every reason to celebrate.
Karishma described herself as “very elated and beyond grateful”, particularly because the achievement represents years of preparation, dedication and sacrifice.
For her, however, the CSEC results are only one milestone in a much larger journey.
She plans to pursue further studies, build a successful career, gain valuable experience and eventually become financially independent. Ultimately, she hopes to create a comfortable and fulfilling future while making her parents proud.
Her parents, she said, have been among her strongest sources of encouragement throughout her educational journey.
She also received support from teachers, private tutors, relatives and friends, who offered encouragement, advice and reassurance during difficult periods.
Now, with 13 Grade Ones to her name, Karishma hopes her story will inspire other young people who may feel discouraged by the circumstances around them.
Her message to them is simple: believe in yourself, remain focused and never compare your journey with someone else’s.
“Don’t give up on yourself. Keep going, even when it’s difficult,” she encouraged.
From watching her parents work tirelessly in their salon and barbering businesses to earning 13 Grade Ones of her own, Karishma has begun writing a story of success that is uniquely hers.
Her CSEC results are not simply grades on a results slip. They are the first major step towards the future she has spent years preparing to build.