Kids in Kingston's ghettos have received a morale-booster geared to inspire them to achieve greatness reminiscent of poor children in the 2009 Oscar-winning rags-to-riches film, Slumdog Millionaire.

The advice has come from one of their own, golden girl Shelly-Ann Fraser, who bolted out of the shadows of Waterhouse, an inner-city community, to conquer the world at last year's Olympic Games.

The diminutive Fraser on Tuesday encouraged youths to continue to strive for success despite the many challenges endemic to poor communities.

"I can still hear the words which were constantly drilled in my head by my high-school coaches over the years. My manager, Jeffrey Gordon, would always say to me, 'Don't hesitate to succeed, don't be afraid to succeed'," Fraser told the students.

Fraser, who brought Jamaica glory after winning the gold medal in the women's 100m finals at the Beijing Games in China last year, was speaking during the launch of the GraceKennedy Education Run at the Institute of Jamaica lecture hall on East Street, downtown Kingston.

The run/walk, under the theme 'Unleashing Jamaica's Potential', will see individuals from across the Corporate Area, including employees of GraceKennedy, take to the streets of downtown Kingston on July 5 to raise some $3 million in support of education programmes for youths in the inner cities.

Mark Anderson, vice-chairman of the run committee and director of the Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation, said he believed that an entire community could be transformed through the education of one child.

"We would have placed in motion a tide of change which will have a positive impact on generations to come," he said.