MORE than 2,000 people, including students from over 34 educational institutions in St Ann and St Mary, have benefited from a project that targeted women in the two parishes.

The Soroptimist International of Northern Jamaica, a service club for women in business and the professions, was responsible for implementing the project, titled ‘A Wholistic Approach to the Advancement of Women and Youth’.

The programme, which was funded to the tune of $1.6-million by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), started in November 2004 and included areas that are based on the focus areas of Soroptimist International and covered human rights, status of women, health, education, social and economic development.

More specifically the programme covered topics such as eliminating violence against women, healthy lifestyle, empowerment, and HIV/AIDS and took the form of seminars,workshops and panel discussions.

Speaking at the closing ceremony for the project, held Thursday at Hibiscus Lodge in Ocho Rios, Deputy High Commissioner of Canada, Brian Burton, said Canada’s collaboration with Soroptimist International of Northern Jamaica on the project has been a successful one which he believes would impact gender issues in Jamaica.

He said the ceremony marked the culmination of a partnership between Canada and the Soroptimist Club, which reflects the commitment of the Canadian government to support gender equality and responsible parenting.

“Responsible parenting is critical to the socialisation of Jamaica’s youth,” Burton said.

He added that since 1998, the Canadian government had been working to help develop gender equality in the region and had spent some $6.9 million in the process, funding 160 projects, 30 of which are in Jamaica at a cost of $8.5m. The current project was funded at a cost of $1,633,000.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC) which was part of the project, donated a start-up grant of $29,973 to Miguel Sankey of Lime Hall, St Ann, to start a lawn maintenance business.

Villet Kelly, of the JBDC, who handed over the cheque, said the Centre was committed to helping young people start their own businesses by providing business development service, business management training and grants.

She said through the Soroptimist Club, the JBDC would be targeting young people aged 17 to 35, by offering them grants of a maximum of $30,000.

Despite the club being a women’s organisation, both men and women would benefit from the grants. However, the majority of people to benefit would be women, she explained.

Nine organisations were listed as being instrumental in the success of the ‘Wholistic Approach to the Advancement of Women and Youth’ programme.

These are: St Ann Co-op Credit Union, JBDC, North East Regional Health Authority, Famplan Jamaica, St Ann parish Library, St Ann Victim Support Unit, Jamaica AIDS Support – St Ann, St Ann Parish Council and Creative Production and Training Centre, which produced a film entitled Cherished Moments, as part of the project.

The film was premiered at the closing ceremony.