SI Caribbean Projects
Each Soroptimist International club identifies the needs of its community, then establishes specific projects to address these needs. All our projects relate to one or more of the six Programme Focus Areas: Economic and Social Development, Education, Environment, Health, Human Rights and the Status of Women, and International Goodwill and Understanding.
More information is available in the Our Work pages, where you can read more about the current Programme Focus aims and the Quadrennial Project, supported by all clubs in the Federation.
The projects listed below include some of the local and international issues we research and support in SI Caribbean:
"THE STEPPING STONE" PROJECT OF SI JAMESTOWN, BARBADOS, This is aimed at giving support to youth who are institutionalised for minor crimes which do not warrant incarceration in a Juvenile Detention Facility. This will offer shelter for a period of time
SI Jamestown commissioned a study on young women who had been picked up for the crime of 'wandering'. It was discovered that many of them came from homes where they were being abused and they were reluctant to go home. These girls were sent to the Juvenile Detention Centre for girls. Many of them became hardened criminals from mixing with the criminal elements there.
SI Jamestown set out to provide a shelter where these young people could be housed while therapy was sought for them.
It was also recognised that it is no good to treat the girls to send them back to the same environment. Help would also have to be given to their family members.
Jamestown learnt that there are young girls who have to leave the National Children's homes for orphaned children at age 18 and have nowhere or no one to go to. Jamestown recognised that this facility could also be used to house these young girls until they were able to make it on their own.
No such facility currently exists on the island. When Government learned of our plans, the then Minister of Housing and Lands provided a parcel of land in his constituency for this facility to be built.
While Jamestown awaits the documents, giving us the right to start work, architectural drawings have been done and some funds raised. Once the awaited documents have been received, efforts will be made to find partners to assist with the building.
Jamestown has been assured that once the facility is up and running the Child Care Board and the Justice Department will work closely with them.
Updates
30/11/99: March, 2007 Town and Country Planning commission approves the development at Odle's Glen.