Entrepreneur empowering teachers and students

Hailing from Portland, Paulette Trowers carved out her own path, one that intertwined her passion for law and business and her unwavering commitment to her homeland's development.

As she journeyed through life, she could not shake the memories of her upbringing, where she witnessed the stark contrast between privilege and scarcity. With the ethos that 'charity begins at home', Trowers embarked on a mission that would redefine her purpose. Fuelled by a desire to make a tangible difference, she founded CHEETAH Toys and More, LLC, not merely as a business venture, but as a conduit for change in 2017. CHEETAH stands for Connect to Higher Education Electronic Tools Application and Health.

Trowers said: "When we talk about 'connect' to higher education, we're talking about levelling up and improving your skills." She added. "My goal is to empower students and educators with the tools they need to succeed, regardless of their circumstances." Trowers, who recently participated in a Jamaica Information Service 'Think Tank', believes that education was, and is the key to empowerment. So, with her company as the cornerstone, she orchestrated a symphony of philanthropy, directing resources towards education and community development.

Over the years, the CHEETAH team, along with several key stakeholders, have published several workbooks for students sitting the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations. For the educational aspect of CHEETAH, several PEP workbooks that cater to the five core areas for grade-six students have been published.

"We are proud to say that all our books have been reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Education and Youth. We were also one of the very first companies to produce these PEP workbooks for the ministry," Trowers said. The company also initiated the Jamaica Decodable Early Readers tool, a book series that currently has 78 books to stimulate reading among young children. The 'Little Jamaican Early Childhood Learning Kit' was also launched in 2022. It has more than 30 books, poems, puzzles, posters, reward stickers, completion certificates, playing and flash cards, and animation. It targets children zero to three years old, parents, guardians and teachers. On the technological side, Trowers informed that the company is working on digitising its content, so that it is more accessible to children across the world.

As the company's founder and CEO, Trowers said she tries "to live a meaningful and purposeful life", attributing her successes to "my Creator, who has given me so many resources and a company that I own and control".

"I'm happy to be contributing to a society, a community and a country that has given me so much. I'm glad to be positively impacting the children," she added.