On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, a delegation from the Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB) comprising the Managing Director Mr. Cornelius Sidonie, Business Development & Marketing Manager/ Corporate Secretary Mr. Philbert Francis and Dianne Francois – Consultant to the Climate Adaptation Financing Facility (CAFF), visited the Garrand Community, Babonneau, home of Nyann Joseph, a student of the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School, to present her winning prize of $7,500.00 towards the implementation of a climate change adaptation project at her home. Nyann was the First-Place winner in the Medium Vulnerability Category of the SLDB’s ACT-TO-ADAPT Secondary Schools climate adaptation competition.
Launched in April 2021 under SLDB’s Climate Adaptation Financing Facility (CAFF), the Challenge issued a call to secondary school students to conduct an assessment of their household’s vulnerability to climate change impacts using the Bank’s innovative Act to Adapt App. Students were further challenged to develop an Adaptation Plan, identifying home improvement projects to reduce vulnerabilities.
Based on their determined level of vulnerability in the event of a Category 5 hurricane, students’ entries were assigned to the high, medium and low vulnerability competition categories. The Challenge was intended to generate practical awareness of climate change impacts and what is required to build more resilient homes and communities and to raise awareness of the CAFF, a pioneering mechanism to ensure access to affordable financing to empower homeowners, farmers and other business owners to invest in measures to make their homes, farms and businesses resilient to climate change impacts.
Over the years, Nayann’s family has been experiencing several challenges with rainwater run-off because of the lack of drainage near her home. Her project involves the installation of gutterings and the construction of drains. The family is elated that this long-standing situation will finally be resolved, thanks to the SLDB.
As the hurricane season approaches, which is projected to be above average with 20 named storms, the SLDB encourages the population to take the necessary action now to protect their homes and property against any destruction which may be caused during season. Funding is available at the SLDB at the low interest rate of 4.5 % to implement climate change resilient project including roof reinforcement, installation of guttering, hurricane straps, shatter proof windows and doors among other.