The Saint Lucia National Youth Council (SLNYC) has congratulated its 1st Vice President, Anya Edwin, on her appointment as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Community Foundation for the period March 2021- March 2023.
Founded in 2002, the National Community Foundation which is most commonly referred to as the “NCF”, is known for their annual telethon where individuals, organizations and Corporate Saint Lucia donate funds towards social causes. However, the organization’s mission is “to support initiatives that engender self-empowerment and social upliftment through assistance to a wide area of benefactors for emerging and community needs in education, health, social services, arts and culture, community development, environment and civic affairs.”
“Ms. Edwin has worked at the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund, the premier social development organization in Saint Lucia for the last four years. Hence, we expect that with her expertise in social and human development, program coordination and the policy development acumen acquired throughout her leadership career, she will serve the people of Saint Lucia with the highest merit, tenacity and selflessness,” the SLNYC wrote in a statement on the appointment.
Ms. Edwin is the Saint Lucia National Youth Council’s first NCF board representative to serve in the capacity of Chairperson and at age twenty-eight is also the youngest person in the organization’s history to be appointed to the post. According to the SLNYC this moment is historical as it continues to celebrate Women’s History Month and on the eve of the launch of their inaugural women empowerment “#iAmWoman Campaign”. The program has also been developed and will be coordinated under the leadership of 1st Vice President, Ms. Edwin, together with a few other ambitious young Saint Lucian women.
“This six-month long campaign will allow for the Saint Lucia National Youth Council to contribute to dismantling power relations that impede women’s attainments of sustainable empowerment at the home, community and national levels, through four pillars, namely; health, advocacy, education and socialization.
“During such time we will engage disenfranchised, unattached, vulnerable young women and female-based Organizations who are in need of national support services and resources in the areas of health and sexuality, education, skills training development and empowerment; while serving as a platform that will explore and develop the expertise of young professional female leaders who will act as Advocacy Ambassadors on national issues affecting women,” noted the SLNYC.