Darcell Charles

I, Shyan Johnson, started working at the OSANA Foundation in January 2023. Before joining the team, I earned qualifications in English, Agricultural Science, and Art and Craft, which have helped shape my skills and creativity. I also have hands-on experience as a babysitter and domestic worker, which taught me patience, responsibility, and care. In 2018, I became certified in paper jewelry craft, and earlier on, I participated in the Carnival Arts and Life Skills Vacation Camp held on August 23, 2013, which helped develop my artistic and interpersonal skills even further.

​During my time at the OSANA Foundation, I have accomplished several important milestones that have helped me grow professionally. In addition to successfully potty training two participants, a key milestone in their personal development, I received a Certificate of Completion in Basic First Aid through the Ministry of National Security Lifeguard Services Division in 2023. Later that year, I earned a Level 1 Certificate in Cosmetology from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development. In 2024, I successfully completed a Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education and also earned a Certificate in Makeup Artistry with Synergy Training. Additionally, I received a Certificate of Participation in Lesson Planning through the OSANA Foundation, which has improved my ability to prepare and deliver meaningful learning experiences. In 2025, I completed a Basic Sign Language course and am currently awaiting my certificate.

​Looking ahead, I am committed to improving myself both personally and professionally. One of my goals is to obtain Mathematics as a subject, which will strengthen my academic foundation and open up more opportunities for growth. I also plan to advance further in Sign Language so I can better communicate with and support the participants I work with. By continuing to build my skills, I hope to become a more effective team member at the OSANA Foundation and provide even greater assistance to those in my care.

I am a mother with an adult son with autism. After returning home from living abroad, I realized that there were no programs or schools in our community for my son to socialize or interact with peers. There were no recreational, or training programs in place that could help him learn to participate in his community. In addition to my son, there were other young adults and children in the Sangre Grande area, with special needs who were isolated, not participating in a program or school situation.

With the need for a program in mind, I converted my garage into a learning center in 2015 and held Saturday Respite Sessions for these children and young adults. These sessions were so successful that the community came together and we formed The Osana Foundation.

The Osana Day Training Program started on September 2nd 2019 with five clients. We now have over twenty participants of various ages, with a separate learning area for the younger children. We presently have a blended curriculum because of the Covid situation and meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are our online fourty- five minutes zoom sessions. Osana also follows the Public School’s Calendar of Holidays.

Our curriculum is both individualized and functional, which helps prepare our participants for success in the community and includes a variety of subjects, such as Life Skills, Literacy, Functional Math, Basic Food Preparation, Agriculture, Computer, Personal Hygiene, Drama, Music and Community Outreach. Osana now has special workbooks designed individually for pre readers and writers and those who are beginning to read and write.

The client-instructor ratio is 5 to 1 for the younger children and 7 to 1 for the older participants. We now have four regular staff members, a director and two volunteers. Funding is received from donations and contributions from friends, family and community, fundraising and tuition. Some clients are financially unable to pay their fees, so we ask financial assistance and support from sponsors. Presently there are two participants who need sponsorship. We are also trying to raise funds for our bus, furniture and kitchen cabinets.

As a non- profit organization we try to maintain affordable tuition rates, to accommodate clients with little or no income, so that they too can benefit from this important community program. We are therefore asking for your assistance to help us continue this much needed program, so we can help our special clients, to become more independent, self- assured, and confident as they participate in the journey of life.