ABYEA Profiles


Mali Adelaja Olatunji Executive Director Mali Adelaja Olajunji is a Professional Photographer in a variety of specialties for more than forty years. He has worked as a Fine Arts Photographer at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), in New York City for over twenty (20) years. In addition to his certifications as a Photographer, Mali holds a Master of Arts Degree in Arts Education and Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Labor Relations. Between 1997 and 1999, he was the Current Affairs Officer (CAO), Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Public Information Division (ABS Radio and Television). During his tenure as CAO, Mali produced and directed: legal, cultural and social programs for television broadcast. He was also a radio and television talk-show host and a moderator. Currently, Mali has been working on the publication of his book of “Woodist Jumbie Aesthetics” photographs, which will be published by Hansib Publications Limited, London. Phone: (268) 781-3999 Email: mali@abyea.org
Vellie Nicholas-Benta Educatiion and Development Director Vellie Nicholas-Benta is an unapologetic book lover. She is a 1991 graduate of the Teacher Education Department of the Antigua State College and the recipient of special training in Dyslexia and Literacy sanctioned by the University of York in 2005. She is a past Executive Secretary of the Antigua & Barbuda Centre for Dyslexia Awareness. A literacy practitioner for over twenty years, she started and operated literacy centres at the Golden Grove and Jennings Primary schools between 2000 and 2006. She is a huge advocate of cooperative group work, multiple intelligences and metacognitive learning strategies and the maxim, ‘If they can’t learn the way we teach, then teach them the way they learn’ underpins her general approach to teaching. Vellie continues to mobilise students for participation in both extra-and co-curricular activities and has special interest in the re-education of the Caribbean male. She intends to use her flair for creative/imaginative writing and love for music as catalysts for learning. Vellie recently published her first E-book of fictionalised history. Phone: (268) 723-3998 Email: education@abyea.org
Austin Maxwell Thomas Sports and Physical Education Director Austin Maxwell Thomas Phone: (268) 734-1044 Email: austin@abyea.org
Lawrence A. Jardine Technical Director - Chairman Lawrence A. Jardine is the founder of the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Enlightenment Academy. He is also a Software Developer and, the founder and CEO of Data Management Solutions Ltd., which is the leading payroll software solutions provider in Antigua and Barbuda. Lawrence is a graduate of the Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario Canada, where he studied electronics and developed his love for computer programming. He has worked for two parent companies, the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Voice of Germany, for over twenty (20) years. He has also been the national champion in two (2) disciplines: Pocket Billiards and Dominoes. In 2006, he won the National Independence Short Story Competition. Lawrence is a Professional Billiard Instructors Association (PBIA located in the USA) Certified Pocket Billiards Instructor. Phone: (268) 770-6955 Email: lawrence@abyea.org

Mali Adelaja Olatunji

Executive Director

Mali Adelaja Olajunji is a Professional Photographer in a variety of specialties for more than forty years. He has worked as a Fine Arts Photographer at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), in New York City for over twenty (20) years. In addition to his certifications as a Photographer, Mali holds a Master of Arts Degree in Arts Education and Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Labor Relations. Between 1997 and 1999, he was the Current Affairs Officer (CAO), Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Public Information Division (ABS Radio and Television). During his tenure as CAO, Mali produced and directed: legal, cultural and social programs for television broadcast. He was also a radio and television talk-show host and a moderator. Currently, Mali has been working on the publication of his book of “Woodist Jumbie Aesthetics” photographs, which will be published by Hansib Publications Limited, London.

Phone: (268) 781-3999
Email: mali@abyea.org

Vellie Nicholas-Benta

Educatiion and Development Director

Vellie Nicholas-Benta is an unapologetic book lover. She is a 1991 graduate of the Teacher Education Department of the Antigua State College and the recipient of special training in Dyslexia and Literacy sanctioned by the University of York in 2005. She is a past Executive Secretary of the Antigua & Barbuda Centre for Dyslexia Awareness. A literacy practitioner for over twenty years, she started and operated literacy centres at the Golden Grove and Jennings Primary schools between 2000 and 2006. She is a huge advocate of cooperative group work, multiple intelligences and metacognitive learning strategies and the maxim, ‘If they can’t learn the way we teach, then teach them the way they learn’ underpins her general approach to teaching. Vellie continues to mobilise students for participation in both extra-and co-curricular activities and has special interest in the re-education of the Caribbean male. She intends to use her flair for creative/imaginative writing and love for music as catalysts for learning. Vellie recently published her first E-book of fictionalised history.

Phone: (268) 723-3998
Email: education@abyea.org

Austin Maxwell Thomas

Sports and Physical Education Director

Austin Maxwell Thomas

Phone: (268) 734-1044
Email: austin@abyea.org

Lawrence A. Jardine

Technical Director - Chairman

Lawrence A. Jardine is the founder of the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Enlightenment Academy. He is also a Software Developer and, the founder and CEO of Data Management Solutions Ltd., which is the leading payroll software solutions provider in Antigua and Barbuda. Lawrence is a graduate of the Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario Canada, where he studied electronics and developed his love for computer programming. He has worked for two parent companies, the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Voice of Germany, for over twenty (20) years. He has also been the national champion in two (2) disciplines: Pocket Billiards and Dominoes. In 2006, he won the National Independence Short Story Competition. Lawrence is a Professional Billiard Instructors Association (PBIA located in the USA) Certified Pocket Billiards Instructor.

Phone: (268) 770-6955
Email: lawrence@abyea.org

Antigua and Barbuda Youth Enlightenment Academy (ABYEA)

ABYEA is principally a finishing school for all genders to assist primarily the public sector school system to instill values of teamwork, self-esteem, pride, conduct, behavior, civility, humanity, performance and commitment for national development in our students. YEA will escort students from Grade 6 to Grade 11 (Form 5).

ABYEA will enhance the societal awareness of the youth by creating a youth culture of essential intangible attributes: honesty, industriousness, accountability, conscientiousness, truthfulness, punctuality, respectfulness, carefulness, empathy, sense of justice, etc.

The ABYEA Program is an addendum to the Primary and Secondary School Curricula. Students must attain at least 250 ABYEA lecture hours over the period of six (6) years. Upon completion, YEA graduates will received The ABYEA Certificate of Achievement.

ABYEA’s mission is to synchronize the community of students to adopt, internalize and implement common core societal and humanistic values to produce common performances.