In celebration of International Women’s Day, we feature a guest blog by Projects Officer Valrie Tate, about her recent visit to Children First in Jamaica, and their Girls of Substance Project, aimed at empowering young women at risk.
On Thursday February 28, Deputy High Commissioner Julia Sutherland and I, journeyed to Spanish Town in St Catherine, to sign a contract marking the start of the Girls of Substance Project being implemented by Children First.
Children First was founded in 1997 when Save the Children UK phased out operations in Jamaica. It is community based, and uses creative approaches within a school setting, to provide programmes for children, adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10-24 years.
The aim of the Girls of Substance project is to enhance the personal development of at-risk girls ages 12-24, through their active involvement in counselling, mentoring, developing life skills to improve their self esteem, and developing healthy coping strategies.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a roomful of students, mainly girls, who had gathered to witness the signing. After the usual introduction and speeches, the ‘Bashy Bus’ Team presented a short skit focusing on the issue of physical and sexual abuse of children.
The ‘Bashy Bus’ is a brightly painted, colourful ‘bus with a difference’ that travels to schools and communities across the island using drama to present life-saving messages to children and adults alike. The bus is outfitted as a mobile clinic providing young people with confidential HIV testing and counselling.
After the formalities were over, we had a chance to see some of the agency’s programmes, including a computer based auto skills programme (nothing to do with cars!) which allows students to improve their English and Maths skills at their own pace.
We then moved on to their other location, where students in the skills training programme, were hard at work practicing hairdressing, barbering and cosmetology skills, which are in high demand both locally and overseas.
We are pleased to be involved in a programme such as this, which has at its heart, the development and empowerment of girls and women.