HIGH Commission of Canada is pleased to announce the contribution of CAD88,000 to two Saint Lucian organizations — Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc. and Girls of a Feather — through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). These new projects will provide skills training, capacity building and psychosocial support to Saint Lucian women and girls in high crime areas.
Through a CAD50,000 CFLI contribution, Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc. will implement a psychosocial support project for women and girls residing in Vieux Fort in response to increased reports of crime and gun violence. Canadian funding will allow the organization to conduct a needs assessment and explore the underlying factors contributing to crime and gun violence; to train women, men and children on coping mechanisms and building resilience; and, to carry out a comprehensive psychosocial programme inclusive of counselling, support groups, access to medical and legal services, and other interventions.
Canada awarded CAD33,000 to Girls of a Feather for the delivery of their ‘Girls with Goals’ afterschool curriculum-based programme for girls in conflict with the law. The three-month program will offer group and individual therapy, a three-part curriculum on trauma-informed self-care, social entrepreneurship, and career preparation for approximately 50 girls. Canadian funding will also support the training of mentors and staff for the successful implementation of the initiative.
The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives is a programme designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries that align with the Government of Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The High Commission of Canada received proposals from civil society organizations across four eligible countries in the Eastern Caribbean, administering CAD300,000 in available funding. Other successful 2023-2024 CFLI project partners include the Lifeline Ministries Inc., MiRiDom, Kibe’kuati Inc., the Grenada Planned Parenthood Association, GrenCHAP Inc., and RedRoot SVG Inc. The 2023 CFLI beneficiaries join the East Dominica Children’s Federation and Equal Rights Access and Opportunities SVG Inc. which conclude their project activities this year.
The projects in Saint Lucia advance key foreign policy priorities for Canada in the Eastern Caribbean, including the empowerment of women and girls and peace and security.
High Commissioner of Canada, H.E. Lilian Chatterjee shared, “Canada is proud to continue its partnerships with Raise Your Voice and Girls of a Feather through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. Both organizations are past beneficiaries of our Women’s Voice and Leadership Program with a shared commitment to the empowerment of women and girls. Canada firmly believes that by creating new opportunities for women and girls we are contributing towards a safer, more prosperous Saint Lucia and wider global community.”