IACD Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Ezra Jn Baptiste, has provided an update on the response to COVID-19 in St Lucia.
A group of Saint Lucian women going by the name “Where Ladies Talk” recently responded to the call to assist children with school books and other school related supplies as school is set to reopen on 9 September 2020. The initiative was prompted by the impact of COVID19 on the island. Many female headed households became instantly unemployed due to the closure of hotels and other businesses which had no choice but to reduce staff in order to stay afloat. This led to many workers in various sectors being laid off indefinitely with no guarantee of retaining their jobs or gaining alternative employment. This has left many children of school going age are at risk of not being properly equipped to attend school. Consequently, the group embarked on a campaign to collect text books from their members and other contributors. The response was overwhelming and the supplies were distributed to the mothers of children who were identified for support. Several other initiatives like this one have been undertaken by other groups in the country.
The full story can be watched in the video here.
More from Latin America and the Caribbean
The month’s newsletter will also focus on the Latin America and Caribbean region. We aim to bring you updates, stories, reflections, and information on upcoming events in this region.
If you are working in the field of community development in Latin America or the Caribbean and you’d like to tell us more about what you do, please contact us at membership@iacdglobal.org. We encourage submissions from practitioners, researchers, and students. You can submit a 200-400 word report, essay, reflection, or a video / photo essay before Tuesday, 15th September 2020.
