Support for Caribbean children

Dear Sir:

My name is Kim Jean. I am a proud donor to and ambassador for the Foundation for the Development of Caribbean Children (FDCC). This letter is to gain your support and that of your readers to donate $5 to continued early education learning of our children in the OECS. This is a call to the charitable side of our people. A chance to support programmes for children zero to five years and their families and keep the dedicated care givers doing what they love.

The FDCC is based in Barbados. It is a private non-profit organization – the first of its kind in the region. Their objective is “to significantly increase the number of disadvantaged children who acquire the knowledge and skills to prepare them for entry into primary school and lifelong learning by accessing quality early childhood development services”. The foundation has been in operation since 2011 when it took over from the Caribbean Child Support Initiative (CCSI). Its primary mission to strengthen the care environment with highly effective early childhood development and family support programmes is being continued.

They currently do great work in Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent, Saint Lucia and Belize. Other islands show interest and they are working to extend services there too. Their collaborative resources have been depleted since local governments are experiencing grave difficulties due to the world market crash. They need our help. Our children need our help. The FDCC has launched their “Help FDCC Impact 2,000 children’s lives by December 2015” and needs to raise US$30,000 to keep their programmes going strong.

I live in Chicago. I first heard about the FDCC in 2012 from a Facebook post. I’ve wanted to support a Caribbean charity and this is the one. I believe in the potential of our people, our children. They need access as early as possible to services that will be the springboard that catapults them to realizing their fullest potential. It all starts will early education exposure that will give them the motor and psychological advantage before they enter primary school.

While I was in Saint Lucia I saw first-hand the work of the Roving Care Givers. These are well trained people who go to homes and provide care and support for kids and their families with one goal in mind — give our children the foundation they need to succeed. They read, play, talk with, and are good companions to and executioners in their duties.

As Caribbean nationals and descendants of Caribbean nationals living and working in the US, we have access to services that can give our children the foundation they need to succeed. As Caribbean nationals who love where we come from and want to help our region get ahead, helping our children is the best way to do that.

I urge you to share this with your readers, colleagues and friends. Visit www.fdcchildren.org and donate $5. It is tax deductible. It is a good deed. So far the FDCC is a success story. Let’s do it for our children, our region and the quality of its development.

Kim Jean

Donor and Ambassador