Around 900 children from the Ministry of People Empowerment’s One Family programme were treated to a festive celebration on Friday at the Deighton Griffith Secondary School, as the initiative marked a year of progress supporting vulnerable families across the island.
The event, supported by donations from businesses and service organisations, catered to children aged between four and 12 with jumping tents, face painting and a range of games amid a lively atmosphere for families in the programme.
Social Development Project Manager for the One Family Programme, Nicole Daniel, said the event was designed to bring joy and a sense of togetherness to the children while recognising the support of corporate and community partners.
“Today we are here at the One Family Christmas Cheer event for all our kids ages four to 12 in the programme to come and join us for a day of cheer,” Daniel said. “We are so glad and excited to be here today, being supported by our good supporters JetBlue for Good, who are doing wonderful things.”
Daniel noted that the One Family programme had recorded a successful year, providing assistance to numerous at-risk families across the island through a multi-pronged approach.
“This programme is grounded on seven different pillars: health, education, family dynamics, employment, income and social benefits, and housing,” she explained. “Across these pillars, we have been implementing different initiatives.”
Among them, she highlighted the recent launch of mentorship programmes aimed at adolescents.
“For family dynamics, we recently started a mentorship programme for girls called Becoming Her for ages 11 to 13, and we also have a boys’ programme called Mentor Him,” Daniel said.
Counselling services and housing assistance had resumed, supported through partnerships with the Rural and Urban Development Commission, while employment opportunities were being facilitated through collaborations with private-sector entities, she added.
“In employment, we have partnered with Abeds and Wyndham, among others, offering jobs to clients,” she said. “Through this, we provide education, training and skills… helping people to help themselves, which is what the programme is all about.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Daniel revealed plans to expand the programme’s entrepreneurship initiatives.
“We recently completed our entrepreneurship incubator programme, which ended last Saturday with a pitch day similar to a ‘Shark Tank’,” she said. “We are starting a new cohort and are looking for persons with business investment and entrepreneurial knowledge to come on board. Not just for financial sponsorship, but mentorship as well.”
She also expressed gratitude to several organisations that contributed to the success of the initiative.
“I just want to thank Sandy Lane Charitable Trust, Brian’s Bakery and the Barbados Public Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union Limited for all the support they have given to the programme so far,” she added. (SB)
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