Transforming a Community, One Student at a Time

When Crystal looks at Laventille, she doesn’t see a hillside suburb with a reputation for violence and poverty. She sees potential. A chance for transformation. 

Since its inception, Crystal’s hometown has been at the margins of its wealthier neighbors. In the early 1800s, Laventille—a series of hills east of Trinidad and Tobago’s capital city—housed a leper colony. Years later, emancipated slaves found a home in Laventille, which they called “Free Town.” As the city grew, it birthed modern calypso music and the steelpan—an instrument invented after the colonial government banned African percussion music.  

Decades of exclusion and neglect have limited the opportunities available to people in Laventille, but it has not stifled their spirit. 

Crystal’s Academic Boot Camp 

Eager to play a role in her hometown’s transformation, Crystal and her husband launched Academic Boot Camp (ABC), an educational institution geared toward reshaping generations through education.  

Despite her passion, Crystal struggled to clarify her vision for business. From finding her target audience to creating a name for herself, Crystal needed help if she wanted to play a role in revitalizing her community. 

A Crystal-Clear Vision 

Through a friend, Crystal connected with Network of Christians in Business (NCB), a local partner of Partners Worldwide. She attended a business training program where she learned how to clarify the vision of her business. Today, ABC has evolved into an online service that provides services to disadvantaged students as they prepare to take exams, as well as to adults who want to finish their degrees. 

“We aim to mentor and motivate students to move from a lack mindset to an abundance mindset,” said Crystal, “to envision themselves beyond their environment, circumstances, or perceived limitations.”