Basseterre High School- No Witness, No Justice
Basseterre High School was awarded a property grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. The school received two Apple iPads, an iTunes gift card valued at US$25, two iPad Smart Cases, and two Apple Care Protection Plans. The school was provided with the iPads to enable students to participate in the NWNJ Conference held in Barbados in December 2012 and with the larger goal of providing the entire student population with access to social media discussions on security issues. Bassetere High School is located in Bassetere, St. Kitts.
Chaim Walters- Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest
In February 2011 the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown hosted the third annual Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest in honor of Black History Month in the United States. Chaim Walters of Nevis received a US$450 grant as the prize for his joint-first place essay submission.
Charles A. Halbert Public Library
The Charles A. Halbert Public Library in St. Kitts and Nevis received a property grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. The grant included 22 children’s books, such as The Good Soldiers by David Finkle and Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Toibin. All of the books were selected from the Notable Children’s Book List. The library also received five educational games, including “You’ve Been Sentenced” and “Ingenious.”
Clarence F. Bryant Community College
The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded the Clarence F. Bryant Community College a property grant to supplement the school’s library. The school received eleven American history books, including Eyewitness to the Civil War by Steve Hyslop and Exporting American Dreams: Thurgood Marshall’s African Journey by Mary L. Dudziak. The Clarence F. Bryant College is located in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Clarence F. Bryant Community College was awarded a property grant by the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. The school received eight books on American history to add to its campus library. Among the new books are Living History by Hillary Clinton, Rethinking American History in a Global Age by Thomas Bender and Peace: A History of Movements and Ideas by David Cortright.
“Curbing Violence in Public Schools”- Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas
Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas (FAVACA) received a grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. FAVACA requested the grant to support expenses incurred by Mr. Charles Hurley, Chief of the Miami-Dade School Police Department while travelling to St. Kitts and Nevis. FAVACA, in conjunction with St. Kitts-Nevis’ Ministry of Education, invited Mr. Hurley to train school resource officers, teachers, and school counselors as part of their “Curbing Violence in Public Schools: A Gang Reduction Strategy for St. Kitts and Nevis.” Mr. Hurley conducted his training program from May 22 to 28, 2011.
“Eye on the Child”
In an effort to reduce sexual abuse in the Caribbean region, the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded a grant to fund Mrs. Marilyn Rice-Bowen’s September 2012 trip to meet with community leaders in St. Kitts and Nevis. The goal of Mrs. Rice-Bowen’s trip was to develop strategies to increase awareness of sexual abuse. On both St. Kitts and Nevis Mrs. Rice-Bowen promoted the “Eye on the Child” campaign, which encourages all community members to watch over all children in the area; based on the adage “it takes a village to raise a child.” On St. Kitts Mrs. Rice-Brown met with representatives of the Ministry of Social Development, Culture and Gender Affairs to discuss the current state of the island’s school system. During the meeting the government representatives highlighted plans to open a Child Development Residential Program for 30 troubled boys and girls. On Nevis Mrs. Rice-Bowen engaged with women’s groups, church groups, and NGOs to promote awareness of sexual abuse and encourage reporting of such occurrences. Mrs. Rice-Bowen also met with law enforcement officers, nurses, and social workers on Nevis to address the pressing sexual abuse issues facing the island. Mrs. Rice-Bowen’s trip is seen as a productive first step in eradicating abuse and bringing aid to victims.
Facilitating Access to Confidential Testing, Treatment and Support (FACTTS)
Through the Ambassador’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Funds 2011, the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded Facilitating Access to Confidential Testing, Treatment and Support (FACTTS) a human rights grant. To provide support for people living with HIV/AIDS the group made weekly telephone calls and held monthly one-on-one interactive sessions for people living with HIV/AIDS. FACTTS also held workshops and published a monthly newsletter to help people cope with their diagnosis. By providing HIV/AIDS positive community members with a support system FACTTS helped reduce the emotional impact of discrimination and stigmas against people with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, and caregivers.
Gingerland Secondary School- No Witness, No Justice
Gingerland Secondary School received two Apple iPads as part of a property grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. Students from the school participated in the NWNJ Conference in Barbados in December 2012 and the iPads were used as a resource tool during the conference. Since the conference’s end students have continued to use the iPads to participate in the school’s NWNJ initiative. Gingerland Secondary School also received an iTunes gift card valued at US$25, two iPad Smart Cases, and two Apple Care Protection Plans. The school’s address is Gingerland, St. George’s Parish, Nevis.
Hands Across the Sea
Hands Across the Sea, Inc was awarded a cultural grant by the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown to purchase non-fiction and reference books geared towards young adults with remedial reading skills. The books were distributed to school libraries in rural or outlying areas in Antigua and Barbuda; Grenada; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Hands Across the Sea co-founders, Harriet and T.L. Linskey support Caribbean students by sailing around the region delivering books. In March 2013, Saddlers School on St. Kitts received a book donation through Hands Across the Sea.
“It’s a Fact”
Vividview received a human rights grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. The grant was used to produce and create 105 copies of a ten minute animated video about drug resistance and education for the series “It’s a Fact.” In the video Sgt. Carl Williams of the Royal Barbados Police Force teaches primary school children, aged five to eleven, about drugs, drug related crimes, and peer pressure. The funds were also used to produce 3,750 copies of a magazine addressing “Drug Abuse and Resistance Education” (DARE) themes.
Ivor Walters Primary School
The Ivor Walters Primary School received a property grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. The grant included 48 children’s books, such as Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine and Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. The Ivor Walters Primary School is located in Ground Hill Village on Nevis.
Marilyn Rice-Bowen- Anti-Child Abuse Conference in St. Kitts and Nevis
Embassy Bridgetown awarded Marilyn Rice-Bowen a human rights grant to support her participation in a series of strategy meetings in St. Kitts and Nevis, devoted to combating child abuse. Ms. Rice-Bowen is a well-respected social activist in Barbados and a longtime partner in Embassy Bridgetown’s anti-violence efforts. She will travel to St. Kitts and Nevis from April 14 to 19, 2013 to lend her expertise to the country’s growing anti-abuse movement.
Marilyn Rice-Bowen- Gender Based Violence and Sexual Abuse Issues Conference
In continuing support of efforts to end gender-based violence in the Caribbean, the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown provided a grant to Mrs. Marilyn Rice-Bowen, so she could attend workshops and meetings in St. Kitts and Nevis. Mrs. Rice-Bowen is the president of the National Organization of Women in Barbados and is a well-respected community activist. Mrs. Rice-Bowen attended the St. Kitts and Nevis events to lend her expertise to the alarming gender-based violence and sexual abuse issues in St. Kitts and Nevis. On the first day of her trip Mrs. Rice-Bowen met with the Director of Gender Affairs Sandra Maynard and executive members of Voices of Women (VOW) in Nevis. Despite years of community involvement, Mrs. Rice-Bowen was shocked by the severity of the reports of child sexual abuse in Nevis and with those present developed steps toward a solution, such as mounting public awareness campaign and expanding the scale and strength of the “good touch/bad touch” program. In St. Kitts Mrs. Rice-Bowen met with the Caribbean Women’s Association and discussed their need to reorganize to increase the group’s effectiveness. The work of Mrs. Rice-Bowen in St. Kitts and Nevis, funded by the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, is a major step in increasing awareness of gender issues in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Media in Support of People Living With HIV/AIDS
The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, through the Ambassador’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Funds 2011, awarded Media In Support of People Living With HIV/AIDS (MINSOPLWHA) a human rights grant. With these funds MINSOPLWHA produced and distributed a pamphlet geared towards educating the public about the challenges faced by people living with HIV/AIDS. To gather information for their publication MINSOPLWHA conducted a two week series of interviews with 30 persons with HIV/AIDS. Participants were asked to share their stories of challenges and how they have coped with their diagnosis in order increase understanding and appreciation of the struggle endured by people with HIV/AIDS.
Nevis Public Library
The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded the Nevis Public Library a property grant. The library received five educational games, including “Scrambled States of America” and “Word on the Street, Junior.” The games are intended to engage children in learning and allow them to experience parts of American culture.
The Nevis Public Library was awarded a prosperity grant by the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown to support their partnership in education with EducationUSA. The grant funded outreach activities, such as visits to Parent Teacher Associations on Nevis and the Guidance Counselor Unit on St. Kitts. The grant is valued at US$150.00.
No Witness, No Justice
As part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded the Office of the Attorney General a US$55,565.00 grant to support the No Witness, No Justice initiative. The grant funded a training program for teachers and students across the region to teach them how to implement No Witness, No Justice in their schools. Participants also learned to utilize social media to build lasting and effective youth networks. Through No Witness, No Justice Caribbean children learn about citizen involvement, how American youths participate in their communities and how they can participate in their own countries and communities. No Witness, No Justice also serves to build a virtual connection, under the CBSI Youth Network, between Caribbean and American children wherein each can learn about the other’s experiences and communities.
Regional Youth Seminar 2011
The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded the Barbados Youth Development Council (BYDC) a cultural grant. The funds were used to pay the travel expenses of six youth delegates, one each from the six OECS nations, to attend the Regional Youth Seminar 2011 in Barbados. The grant was also used to fund the rental of a U.S. Embassy Bridgetown booth at the Youth Expos, the seminar’s culminating event. The youth delegates were selected from organizations such as National Youth Ambassador Corps (Antigua & Barbuda), Dominica National Youth Council, National Youth Ambassadors Programme (Grenada), St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association, RYC and National Youth Council (St. Lucia), St. Vincent and Grenadines Youth Council. The seminar was held August 11-13, 2011.
St. Kitts- Nevis Football Association- HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign
As part of the Ambassador’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Funds 2011, the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association received a human rights grant from the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown. The association reached out to youths through schools, community organizations, and clubs to raise HIV/AIDS awareness throughout a six month campaign, culminating in a final football tournament. At these events t-shirts and paraphernalia with HIV/AIDS awareness messages were distributed to the children. During the final tournament seminars were held to educate participants about HIV/AIDS with the goal of reducing the transmission rate, eliminating the stigma surrounding HIV testing, and generally raise awareness. The St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association engaged youths through sports programs and used that platform to educate them about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force
As part of efforts to improve regional security the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown granted The Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force Encase V6 Cyber Software. This software will be used in investigations where cyber forensics is required.
The Young Females Abstinence Club
Under the Ambassador’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Funds 2011, the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded The Young Females Abstinence Club (TYFAC) a human rights grant. TYFAC used this grant to hold life skills sessions, through which young people were taught about HIV/AIDS prevention, care, support, and advocacy. TYFAC also hosted a weekend retreat for 15-18 year olds to promote HIV/AIDS awareness.
Tucker Clarke Primary School
The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded The Tucker Clarke Primary School a property grant. The school received 48 children’s books, including Black Elk’s Vision: A Lakota Story by S.D. Nelson and The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger. The Tucker Clarke Primary School is located in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.
Women’s Empowerment Tour- Meridian International Center
The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded Meridian International Center a cultural grant to support the travel expenses of journalists and enable their participation in the Foreign Press Center tour on “Women’s Empowerment.” The tour included meetings with government officials, NGOs, community groups, and media representatives to highlight women’s issues. The meetings were geared towards shedding light on gender based violence. The tour lasted from January 29 to February 4, 2012.
“You’re A Star, Stella!”
In keeping with efforts to expand human rights awareness in the Caribbean, the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown awarded Do the Right Thing Limited a grant to produce a booklet geared towards teaching children about domestic violence and the steps they can take to stop it. Do the Right Thing Limited revised a booklet entitled “You’re A Star, Stella!,” produced by Voice UK, to suit the needs of children in the Caribbean. The booklet tells the story of a young girl who witnessed domestic violence and told her teacher, who contacted the police. Programs such as the “You’re A Star, Stella!” project are aimed at reducing physical abuse throughout the Caribbean.