Women’s Leadership initiative formed
A Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) has been formed with a stated mission “to build bridges of cooperation in developing, implementing and sustaining projects in health, education and philanthropy, which contribute to the improved well-being of all Jamaicans.
The group will operate as a Committee of the United Way of Jamaica (UWJ).
The WLI, has 40 women from the local public and private sectors, and is a progression of the United Way Women’s Leadership Exchanges which brought Jamaican women and members of the United Way of Miami/Dade, USA, together to explore ideas for innovative projects that may benefit Jamaica.
The Exchanges, in Kingston in November 2003 and in Miami in January 2004, were part of US Ambassador to Jamaica, Sue Cobb’s “Building Bridges” initiative designed to foster economic development, knowledge sharing and partnership between Jamaica and Florida’s public and private sectors.
Now, visioning the “Building of Bridges for a Better Jamaica”, through the implementation of specific projects, the WLI has begun work led by an 12-woman Executive Committee chaired by Pat Ramsay who chaired the Kingston Leadership Exchange last November.
Other Executive
Committee members are:
. Sharon Lake and Michelle Orane:
Co-chairs, Early Childhood Education Committee
. Marcia Forbes and Sonya Hamilton:
Co-chairs, Health Sub-Committee
. Rosalyn Campbell and
Sonia Lewis-Brown:
Co-chairs, Volunteerism/Philanthropic
Sub-Committee
. Marcia Erskine and Tamara Williams:
Co-chairs, Public Relations
Sub-Committee
. Maxine McLure: Treasurer
Minna Israel: Assistant Treasurer
. Caroline Mahfood: Representative, US Embassy
. Winsome Wilkins & Dorothy Cunningham: Representatives, United Way of Jamaica
The WLI has targeted the development of a Basic School which will serve as a model for the provision of affordable quality early childhood education, and the improvement of access by HIV/AIDS infected women to HIV testing and other health services.
The Volunteerism and Philanthropy sub-committee will spearhead activities to garner funds to support WLI projects.
