Despite sustaining significant damage during Hurricane Melissa, the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) continued its outreach to vulnerable adolescent mothers, with support coming from partner organisations and beneficiary women who now want to give back.

The assistance reflects the spirit of International Women’s Day, March 8, which this year was observed under the theme ‘Give to Gain,’ highlighting the impact of women supporting and uplifting each other even in times of crisis.

The foundation, established in response to Jamaica’s high level of teenage pregnancy, provides continued education for pregnant girls aged 19 and under who are not permitted to remain in the regular school system during pregnancy.

Several centres operated by the foundation sustained damage during the hurricane, disrupting programme delivery in multiple parishes. Facilities in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland; Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth; Montego Bay, St James; St Ann’s Bay, St Ann; Morant Bay, St Thomas and Junction, St Mary were affected, though other locations have remained operational.

The Savanna-la-Mar Centre suffered the most severe damage after its main roof was dislodged, while the Santa Cruz Centre lost its water storage tanks. At the Montego Bay Centre, sections of the pre-school roof were torn off. Damage was also reported at the St Ann’s Bay Centre, where a perimeter wall collapsed, a tree blocked the compound; and at the Morant Bay Centre, where security fencing was badly damaged. Minor roof damage was recorded at the Junction Centre.

Executive Director Novlette Howell said that despite the challenges brought on by the hurricane, the foundation remained determined to support the young women it serves, as it recognised the importance of ensuring vulnerable groups are protected, especially in a crisis.

“The nature of the persons that we serve – we have specified staff, the counsellors and the centre managers – who are not only highly trained, but they have to be people sensitive… Once the impact comes about, we have to now think about what’s our biggest asset, which is our human resource. And so we had to find ways and means to really go out there and ensure that they are taken care of before we can take care of the damage,” Howell told the Jamaica Observer.

She said that the centre quickly pivoted following the hurricane with assistance from the Jamaican Government. Staff members, some of whom were also impacted, handed out care packages and financial assistance to women and girls in the hardest hit parishes of St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, and St James.

“We identified where our girls were, and we went out in the field to assist them. I myself went along with most of our senior managers. We got some care packages in terms of food and clothing from corporate Jamaica for the staff who were also impacted,” said Howell.

“As a foundation, we were able to get grants for our young girls and our staff women as well as our males who were impacted.We were able to get a grant from an overseas donor, and 22 of our staff members benefited from a high of $210,000 to a low of $20,000.

“They benefited whether it was for severe roof and structural damage, complete loss of the house, minor roof damage, or minor window damage,” she noted.

She added that the foundation also used its centres across the island to house girls and staff members who were living in shelters because their home was destroyed.

Howell said she was also encouraged by the support that continues to flow from past beneficiaries of the foundation who continue to give back, especially in the aftermath of the hurricane. She shared that the foundation has many successful beneficiaries across the globe who have benefited from the work of the foundation, and also seek to give back.

“Most of the persons that give back to us are persons that have come through these doors. We just got some barrels from a past student that we sent to Savannah-la-Mar to help those young girls. Right across the world, people give us things; they help us just to help those other girls to be where they are. We do have a number of success stories that we speak to every day. Last year, for the exit ceremonies across the island, the guest speakers were our past girls. They were inspectors, police, teachers, nurses, and business owners,” Howell boasted.

She noted that at the foundation, priority is placed on educating the girls so they are empowered to reach the highest level, seeking grants and scholarships to assist with tertiary education and other education-related needs.

“We stay with them. We don’t leave them in the high school. Our counsellors monitor them even into university, and so we have that relationship with the young girls that we meet. We also have a mentoring programme too that we invite persons to come in and showcase where we can pair our girls to the professionals so that we can help them to integrate into either the working world or society,” she told the Observer.

As she reflected on the theme of International Women’s Day, ‘Give to Gain,’ she said the work of the Women’s Centre is a prime example of what is possible when women support women and uplift each other.

“We bind ourselves together, and once we are bonded together, we just celebrate women and women’s accomplishments. Our investment in the young girls is just to showcase to them that once they invest in themselves and support other young ladies, then, of course, it will have an impact on Jamaica,” said Howell.

Executive director of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, Novlette Howell