The highly anticipated Strong Bodies, Strong Minds (SBSM) afterschool program, funded by the United Way Trinidad and Tobago (UWTT) and coordinated by the National Youth Council of Dominica (NYCD) and the Climate Resilience Execution Agency (CREAD) was launched in three Kalinago Territory Primary Schools recently at the Salybia Primary School.
Students from Sineku, Salybia and Atkinson Primary Schools will benefit from a comprehensive suite of activities under the SBSM program. This follows a successful commencement of the initiative in September 2019 at the Newtown and Soufriere Primary Schools. Activities include cooking, music, reading, football, volleyball, and a traditional Kalinago component such as basket weaving and dance.
A packed hall of students, teaching staff and parents from all three schools heard encouraging words from Minister of the Environment, Rural Modernisation and Kalinago Upliftment and Parliamentary Representative for the Kalinago Territory, Honorable Cozier Frederick, who challenged the students to look around them and observe the role models of excellence in the adults who attended the launch and recognize that these are examples of hard work, dedication and focus.
“You can be a teacher, principal, Chief, government minister or work for NYCD or CREAD. You could be right here in years to come as an example to others, but you must get up and move. You must get involved. You must work hard,” the Minister advised students, adding that they should emulate and aspire to follow in the footsteps of their adult mentors.
Kerdisha St. Louis, President of the NYCD implored students to take advantage of what SBSM has to offer. “This initiative is one that is timely especially with the advent of COVID-19. The NYCD is looking forward to working with all partners and students to make this project a success in the Kalinago Territory to the benefit of all those involved.” Meanwhile, Kalinago Chief Lorenzo Sanford expressed his delight at the Kalinago Territory being chosen for the program while noting that such a driver will only redound to the advantage of the bright sparks in the Territory.
CREAD is mandated to lead and coordinate multi-sectoral, best practice flagship initiatives that translate into action the Government’s stated vision for Dominica to become the world’s first climate resilient nation. The Agency further catalyzes Dominica’s resilience agenda by bolstering the ability of the public service, business community and social sector partners to design and deliver innovative, high-impact projects focused on: i) Building strong communities, ii) developing adaptive infrastructure, iii) accelerating economic growth, iv) strengthening institutional systems, and v) enhancing Dominicans’ collective consciousness and overall capacity to respond to the local impacts of global climate change.
CREAD’s Strong Communities Officer, Claudine Roberts explained: “One of CREAD’s foremost missions is to encourage Dominicans to focus on developing strong communities, and to achieve this, it is critical to involve the youth as agents of change and provide them with the tools and space they need to be active, engaged citizens. SBSM is a two-year pilot program designed to contribute to resilient mindsets by opening and expanding the minds of the youth.”
She further added that the SBSM initiative is designed to provide an exciting and wholesome regular schedule of out-of-school activities for students while nurturing their creativity, physical fitness, well-being, confidence and self-esteem.
Ministry of Education Officer for the Eastern District, Earl Maximea reiterated the call for students to use the SBSM program to further enhance their growing developmental skills and acumen, while Donalson Frederick, Project Officer in the Division of Kalinago Affairs could be seen mingling and engaging with the students.
Student representatives from Sineku, Salybia and Atkinson presented their expectations of SBSM to the gathering, receiving thunderous applause for their thoughtful and articulate insights which challenged the program to deliver a high standard of content.
The UWTT, NYCD and CREAD driven SBSM program will resume activity at Soufriere Primary School on October 5th and Newtown Primary School on October 9th.
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