ApaNa Magazine Issue 4 December 2020

ApaNa ISSUE No.4 I DECEMBER 2020

One Car ibbean One Sea Sustainability Ocean Heroes Net work: One Caribbean, One Sea Page 35

Business

Doing Good

Plus

A Company's Walk for A Cause - Breast Cancer

Nat ure Fun Ranch, Barbados: The Passion and Purpose of Corey Lane

7 Ways for Chief Execut ives to Engage t he Board As Part ners for Causes

Page 56

Page 64

Page 70

LET US TELL YOUR STORY

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ApaNa

Publ isher and Founder Deborah Hackshaw

Editor -at-Lar ge/ Wr iter Michele-Lauren Hackshaw

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Publisher's Note

Dear Readers, 2020 was an unprecedented year in our lifetime, presenting many challenges. Innovation, resilience and our shared values have allowed us to transform these challenges into opportunities for progress. In many ways, 2020 was a year of transformation on all levels.

Never before has science and technology been central to addressing the immediate needs and plans of humankind. People everywhere had to embrace new technologies and learn new ways of doing things. Problems of the digital divide, such as limited internet connectivity, became more apparent. And, while we focus on the pandemic, let us not forget the growing and urgent need to tackle our social, economic and environmental problems.

It is clear that the world needs creative and innovative minds and entrepreneurialism that offer practical solutions that are implemented and shared. Youth are the superpower behind the change we need.

Deborah Hackshaw Publisher and Founder ApaNa Magazine

A Br i g h t er 2021

In this issue, ApaNa showcases the work of exciting, empowered young people who are fighting climate change and pollution in the Caribbean from planting trees on land to protecting our ocean health. We feature youth from the Cayman Islands. Their drive and enthusiasm are exhilarating. Righting the wrongs of past generations is at the heart of their campaign.

In business and technology, we showcase winners of the prestigious UN-ITU Virtual SME Awards 2020 of which ApaNa Magazine was a proud media partner. We hope that it will continue to trigger innovative talent of our people in providing the much-needed tech solutions for the Caribbean.

The corporate sector supports many causes in the Caribbean which often go unnoticed. Here, we provide a case study of a successful breast cancer campaign run by a supermarket chain in St.Lucia for more than 12 years.

Still, in St.Lucia, we gain the perspective of a philanthropist and her friends who made the Caribbean their home many years ago. Moving to Barbados, we visit a social leader who has dedicated his life to helping at-risk youth with horses, nature, fun and the right exposure.

We wish you a brighter 2021 full of opportunities and success and hope you enjoy this issue.

Deborah Hackshaw Publisher and Founder ApaNa Magazine

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" Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.

Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth" Marcus Aurelius Roman Emperor 161 - 180 AD

Inside this Issue The four th issue of ApaNa magazine focuses on protecting the environment with climate change mitigation initiatives, suppor ting causes for better health and philanthropy that has impacted the lives of Caribbean people - young and old. We cover renewable energy and tree planting for climate change mitigation, corporate social responsibility that suppor ts breast cancer awareness and suppor t for 'conquerors'. We highlight the philanthropic journey of women who felt the need to give back to their adopted country and have now passed the baton to younger ones. We included interviews and stories from Caribbean leaders in the development, private and civil society sectors.

One Car ibbean, One Sea

Features 35

Ocean Her oes Networ k: One Car ibbean, One Sea Ocean Heroes Network held its first bootcamp in the Caribbean. We interviewed Leesa Carter-Jones, President, Captain Planet Foundation and Ocean Heroes - Ben Somerville and Dejea Lyons

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A Car ibbean Company's Cause Campaign - 12 year on A look at a successful breast cancer campaign in the Caribbean, by Massy Stores St.Lucia (formerly Consolidated Foods Ltd)

ApaNa Local Origin of Name: Sanskrit Meaning: 'Reaching', 'Obtaining', 'Coming to', 'Market', 'Tr ade', 'Waves'

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Natur e Fun Ranch - The Passion and Pur pose of Cor ey Lane An interview with Corey Lane, founder of Nature Fun Ranch, who has dedicated more than 30 years to helping at-risk youth

Sustainability

Doing Good

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Cl imate Change and Renewabl e Ener gy in the Car ibbean While renewable energy is key to fighting climate change, the impact of climate change is complicating the Caribbean's transition to renewable energy.

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Dorothy Philips recounts her journey as a cancer survivor and why she decided to set up Faces of Cancer in Saint Lucia.

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Tr ees Buil d Resil ience to Cl imate Change

Tr ees That Feed Foundation

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Jamaican-born Mary and Michael McLaughlin supply fruit trees to feed the Caribbean, create livelihood and protect the environment.

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Car ibbean Philanthr opic Al l iance Car ibbean Tr ee Planting Pr oject The Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance is creating a movement across the Caribbean as it seeks to plant 1 million trees by June 2021.

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Cayman Islands Youth Leader s A Q&A with four vibrant youth leaders from the Cayman Islands who are making a difference in conserving the nature.

Business 44

Digital Tr ansfor mation for Economic Recover y There is no double that the road to economic recovery is a digital one. It can help forest the growth of SMEs in the Caribbean.

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UN-I TU Tel ecom Wor l d SME Awar ds 2020 Some highlights from the UN-ITU Digital SME Virtual Awards for SMEs and innovative technology solutions working for social impact on the world stage held in December, 2020.

PAWASOL POUR TI MAMAI , Saint Lucia An interview with Jane DuBoulay, philanthropist and founder of PAWASOL Pour Ti Mamai, a charity organisation for children in Saint Lucia.

Forest loss and degradation reduces their resilience to climate change. Trees are vital to mitigating the impact of climate change.

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Faces of Cancer, Saint Lucia

The A.W.F.U.L Philanthr opists A charity was born when a group of ladies known as the Association of Walking Females and Usually Lunching (A.W.F.U.Ls) decided to dedicate their time to a worthy cause.

Plus 12

What is Renewabl e Ener gy? Why Renewabl e Ener gy?

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Is Renewabl e Ener gy Enough?

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Communicate Your I mpact on Society

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7 Ways Chief Executives Can Engage the Boar d As Par tner s for Causes

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Poem: A.W.F.U.L's First Walk

Wr ite to Us ApaNa is accepting article submissions, case studies, news and stories about corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, sustainable business practices, social engagement and good works in the Caribbean. Kindly note that all submissions are subject to editorial review and approval.

Please send your article ideas and submissions to editor@apanamagazine.com.

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PLUS

WHAT IS RENEWABLE ENERGY?

Renewable energy is energy derived from natural resources that regenerate without depleting the planet's resources on a human timescale.

The natural resources include sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, biomass and thermal energy stored in the ear th's crust. They are vir tually inexhaustible unlike fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas that are available in f inite quantities and will eventually run out.

The popular renewables are solar power, wind, hydropower, geothermal energy and biomass, wave and tidal power, hydrogen power, ocean-thermal energy conversion and, bioenergy.

These renewables generate electricity.

Renewables emit little greenhouse gases and cause low levels of pollution. They cause little or no environmental damage.

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WHY RENEWABLE ENERGY? 1. LOW OR NO GREENHOUSE GASES Renewable energy emits no or low greenhouse gases (CO2) that contributes to the rising temperature of the Ear th. It limits greenhouse gas emissions and limits global warming.

2.LOW OR NO POLLUTANTS It emits no or low air pollutants and less water contamination which is better for our health.

3. JOB-CREATION The renewable energy sector has to potential to create jobs because it is labour-intensive. A large portion of renewable energy investment is usually spent on materials and labour to build and maintain facilities. For example, solar panels require installation and windmills must be maintained and so on.

off-grid homeowners, businesses and communities and generates additional income for them.

6.REDUCES THE IMPORT BILL Renewable investments are spent within the country and often within the communities.

The money citizens pay for their energy bills stays at home to create jobs and fuel the economy rather than on costly energy impor ts.

7. EXPANDS ENERGY ACCESS TO ALL Renewables expands energy access to more inhabitants, par ticularly those in rural areas.

8.AFFORDABLE ENERGY PRICES. Renewable energy keeps energy prices at affordable levels as it comes with low costs.

9. INCREASED SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY

4.INCREASED RESILIENCE It increases the flexibility and resilience of energy systems to weather-related impacts of climate change and natural disasters and, prevents power outages 5.REDUCES THE ENERGY BILL

Renewable energy increases the security of supply given how energy markets are evolving and the geopolitical uncer tainty in some regions. It is less affected by geopolitical crises, price hikes or sudden disruptions in the supply chain.

Renewable energy reduces the energy bill of

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Climate Change and Renewable Ener gy in the Car ibbean Global trends analysis shows dynamic increases in the production of renewable energy, par ticularly wind and solar energy, increased uptake in energy eff iciency in buildings and industr y and, in the number of electric vehicles used. For some time now, renewable energy has been on the Caribbean's agenda as it tries to integrate renewable sources of energy into their economies.

The Caribbean has made some progress in planning over the years. However, its implementation has stagnated over the years. The delay in the transition to renewables makes the region more vulnerable to increasingly frequent extreme weather events that wreak havoc in communities and the ecosystems the world over.

The groundwork for net-zero emissions is being laid, for example, Paris Agreement on climate change which aims to reduce global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius by 2050, the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere continues to increase. We have already exceeded the threshold of 1 degree Celsius global warming compared to pre-industrial levels.

Besides, the way we make, use, and dispose of products, materials and food from industry, agriculture and land-use contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Some processes within those sectors are hot spots of greenhouse

emissions. They include chemical processes to manufacture cement, land-f illing, incineration, deforestation and land-use change and agriculture.

The Caribbean nations continue to rely on oil and diesel impor ts to produce energy for their power generation, transpor t, buildings, factories etc. This heavy reliance on fossil fuels negatively impacts the environment, human health, wildlife, agriculture, the ecosystem and communities.

Benefit s of Renewable Energy Renewable energy is sustainable. It is not only a pathway out of the current climate crisis but also the economic crisis.

In addition to reducing the impor t bill, generating employment, mitigating climate change impacts and potentially reducing energy prices for citizens, if done correctly and collectively as a region, renewable energy can be a stable source of revenue post-COVID-19.

The renewable energy sector provides an oppor tunity for economic diversif ication by effectively reducing the region's reliance on revenues from the f ickle the tourism and f inancial sectors. apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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SUSTAINABILITY

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewables could supply four-f ifths of the world's electricity by 2050 while cutting carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.

This requires Caribbean countries proactively and consistently moving beyond fossil fuels and, scale-up renewables and energy eff iciency immediately. The Caribbean must transform its energy systems by building new, greener sources of power sooner than later.

Some Caribbean countries have moved ahead. For example, Jamaica currently has the largest wind farm in the Caribbean and, St.Kitts and Nevis recently announced the advancement of its geothermal project on the volcanic island of Nevis which is home to one of the top six geothermal reservoirs in the world.

Effect of Climate Change on Renewables Renewable energy is the key to f ighting climate change. However, current climate change impacts, par ticularly on water and wind, potentially complicate the Caribbean's transition to renewables. The increasingly extreme weather events make green energy systems more vulnerable. For example, modern wind turbines can be torn apar t by hurricane wind speeds above 165 mph. And, stronger hurricanes are becoming more frequent in the region.

Changing precipitation and temperature patterns in the Caribbean affect hydro and solar power. More rain in the nor thern Caribbean means fewer sunny days. Higher temperatures and less rain increase the likelihood of drought and rivers running dr y.

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Ph o t o s: Solar Energy (Top); Wigton Wigfarm, Jamaica (Top left); Solar Powered Boat (Bottom left)

Given that climate change is an unpredictable process, it is making it harder for weather models to correctly identify what type and where par ticular renewable energy infrastructure is built.

Advancement of Technologies With the advancement of technologies, some of these challenges have are being addressed. For example, Jamaica has installed automated weather stations that collect real-time weather data for the Caribbean region. The University of the West Indies has developed a new climate model, SMASH which suppor ts renewable energy systems development. This system helps planners site wind farms and, predict the path and severity of the hurricanes that can mangle turbines.

There is no doubt that renewable energy can promote the Caribbean's economic advancement while protecting the environment. The urgency in switching to renewables cannot be understated. With proper management and government suppor t, it is a viable solution to jump-star t effor ts to create or accelerate economic activity. It is a wor thwhile investment option that produces clean energy that does not contribute to environmental degradation and global warming.

Live Responsibly.

It's time to rethink your actions. Think creatively to find ways to stop damage to our planet and protect lives and livelihoods..

SUSTAI NABI LI TY

ISRENEWABLE ENERGY ENOUGH? RenewableEnergy andEfficiency AloneWill Not Cut It 18

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WeNeedTheCircular Economy It is five years since the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change, was adopted and signed by 196 countries to date. The signatories made commitments to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy.

It commits its signatories to contain global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius. However, this is only part of the equation. To achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2020, we must also address the way we make and use products, materials and food.

About 192 countries, emitters of 96% of the global GHG emissions have submitted plans to reduce their emissions. However, these plans and pledges focus on reducing emissions from energy and have largely ignored the emissions stemming from the production and consumption of goods and food.

With existing technology that is likely to be scalable by 2020, an optimal uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency will address 55% of today's GHG emissions. Tackling the remaining 45% of emissions will require a revision of how we design, make and use products and materials and the way we use the land.

We need to address all sources of GHG emissions, which is where the circular economy comes in. It offers a path forward since it creates value and growth in ways that benefit the customers, businesses, society and the environment. This solution is driven by design and innovation, elimination of waste and pollution keeps products and materials in use and, regenerate natural systems.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Why Trees Are Important

Trees absorb carbon and ot her gases Carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) contributes to global warming. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air and emit pure oxygen. A mature tree can absorb 48 lbs of carbon a year and make enough oxygen for four people to breathe.

Tr ees Build Resilience to Climate Change The global climate crisis threatens the survival of humanity and the Earth's ecological systems. The Caribbean is particularly susceptible to climate change since their economies are vulnerable to climate patterns such as tourism, agriculture and fishing. Climate change is exacerbating the existing threats to forests. Forest loss and degradation reduces their resilience to climate change. If not reversed, the crisis will bring the ongoing rise in sea levels, changes in rain patterns and temperatures and increasing intensity of natural disasters, all of which will result in hunger, disease and economic disturbances.

Natural climate solutions such as forest protection and restoration and, sustainable land uses can address the climate crisis. Trees are vital to mitigating the impact of climate change.

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Trees can protect coastal communit ies Trees protect coastal communities from severe floods and erosion by reducing the water's strength as it surges on land. They also absorb excess water in the soil and release it as water vapour into the air.

Trees provide shade Trees provide shade which helps the soil retain moisture. It supports agriculture. Trees also reduce energy consumption by helping to flatten carbon emissions and saving on cooling costs.

Trees help protect biodiversit y Trees help to protect biodiversity by creating healthy ecosystems that convert the sun's energy through photosynthesis, absorbs and transfers carbon, makes soil, and biological solutions for cleaning up the planet.

Trees support livelihoods Trees provide food, medicines and materials for housing, clothing and other household needs. They help supply fresh water and rainfall that feeds agricultural systems.

Plant Trees To Help Fight Climate Change The rampant deforestation and global climate change threaten the survival of trees. Scientists warn that this degenerative process could lead to ecosystem collapse in the future.

Everyone can help fight climate change by planting a tree.

You can plant a tree in your backyard, parks, schools, farm and even your national forests.

It does not matter where you are. We are all in this together.

One tree can start a forest. Start one today!

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SUSTAINABILITY Michael and Mary McLaughlin, co-founders of Trees that Feed Foundation with a young breadfruit tree about one year old.

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Tr ees That Feed Foundation Jamaican- bor n Mar y and Michael McLaughlin supply fr uit trees to feed the Car ibbean, create livelihoods and protect the environment.

T

rees That Feed Foundation (TTFF) is a non-prof it organisation based in the United States with a mission to plant fruit trees to feed people while creating meaningful jobs and benef iting the environment.

Founders, Mary and Michael McLaughlin who live in Chicago, founded TTFF in 2008. They believe that tree crops are the answer to tackling food insecurity around the world. They also restore ecological balance to the land, capture carbon dioxide from the air and create habitats for small animals.

TTFF operates in eighteen countries in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia and has supplied over 210,000 trees worldwide. They suppor t programs that enhance the value of fruit trees, including helping star tup businesses, supplying food

processing equipment, operating school feeding programs, and education and practical research projects.

Their work star ted in their home country, Jamaica, after signing an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture. They introduced f ive valuable new cultivars of breadfruit to Jamaica, star ting with a shipment of seventy-two trees planted in test plots at the Orange River Research Station. To date, they have funded over 120,000 fruit trees in Jamaica.

That par tnership continues today, along with many others.

Haiti was the second country for TTFF where they par tnered with many reforestation organisations.

TTFF supplies the fruit trees while their par tners provide other plantings. In some cases, the trees are apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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SUSTAINABILITY

intermingled with timber trees t to create mixed forests. In other cases, large trees, shrubs and under-story ground crops form agroforests.

Barbados was next. TTFF was for tunate to f ind strong advocates in Sandra Myers and Barney Gibbs. Working together, they planted breadfruit trees and assisted in the introduction of new mango varieties.

TTFF also works in par tnership programs in the Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, Puer to Rico and the Dominican Republic.

TTFF has grown and expanded over the years. Now, they donate not only breadfruit trees but also many other

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varieties of fruit trees.

The foundation is committed to the model of agroforestry or inter-cropping where fruit trees are planted in a mixed system of crops and an assor tment of fruit trees. Where possible, they encourage organic practices.

TTFF believes that creating a market for the fruit is essential as farmers who gain revenue from the fruit will plant more trees and manage existing trees well.

Ever yone wants free trees but, not ever yone has the skill and perseverance to care for them until their productive maturity. So TTFF works directly with

Ph o t o s: Bus Stop in Barbados with signage (top left); Breadfr uit tress line the road (top centre); Baby breadfr uit trees (below left) Breadfr uit rees in a nur ser y (below )

individuals and groups to educate them on good tree management. Mary and Mike recently produced shor t teaching videos on proper tree care including planting, composting and proper pruning techniques with farmers via WhatsApp. TTFF is working with the Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance (CariPhilAlliance) headquar tered in Jamaica on the ambitious Caribbean Tree Planting Project (CTPP) to plant one million trees across the Caribbean by mtd-2021. TTFF committed to supplying 20,000 fruit trees. Already that number has been exceeded! So far, over 27,000 trees were provided and work continues, despite the diff iculties of COVID. "TTFF is elated with the CTPP initiative as our work is complementary. We both want to plant millions of fruit trees! Along with the CTPP youth ambassadors program, young people will also function as educators, tree planters, and champions for tree planting at the local level." says Mary McLaughlin.

Trees That Feed Foundat ion 1200 Hill Road, Winnetka, IL 60093 Email: info@treesthatfeed.org Call or WhatsApp: +1 314 933 0241 Website: www.treesforfeed,org

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SUSTAINABILITY

Q& A WITH PROFESSOR ROSALEA HAMILTON

Why did you start t he Caribbean Philant hropic Alliance?

It came out of the Worldwide Initiative Grantmakers Suppor t forum held in Jamaica in April 2019 where I had made a presentation on philanthropy and the SDGs. I saw the oppor tunity where Caribbean organisations could come together by aligning themselves with the SDGs. Their work was already linked to the SDGs.

How has COVID-19 impacted t he Caribbean Tree Plant ing Project?

PHILANTHROPY AND THE SDGs

Car ibbean Philanthr opic Alliance Established in 2019, the Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance (CariPhilAlliance) is led by Professor Rosalea Hamilton of Jamaica.

CariPhilAlliance is "an open platform for collaboration among the corporate sector, foundations and individual philanthropists to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the Caribbean for the Caribbean".

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Headquar tered in Jamaica, CariPhil Alliance works with organisations across the Caribbean region to help accelerate their achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

CariPhilAlliance's f irst major initiative is the Caribbean Tree Planting Project. The goal is to plant one million trees to f ight climate action and raise climate awareness.

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It has slowed down our progress as we had to focus on other initiatives such as distributing care packages and looking internally at our operations. However, I was pleasantly surprised to f ind out that people were still planting trees during the lockdown. So, we decided to encourage people to plant at least one tree and launched the 'It Star t With A Seed" Competition.

Tell us about t he " It Start s Wit h a Seed" Compet it ion.

The competition ran from June - September 2020.

Par ticipants had to plant and nur ture a tree and post its progress on social media. We had four categories: novice planters, competent planters, exper t tree planters and differently-abled planters. The prizes ranged from US$150 to US$100 and US$50. We received over 100 applications from youngsters in The Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica etc. We had eight winners.

Email: cariphilalliance@gmail.com Website: www.cariphilalliance.org

CA RIBBEA N TREE PLA N TIN G PRO JECT

1 Million Trees The Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance (CTPP) and its par tners are implementing an ambitious project to protect the environment and livelihoods in the Caribbean.

The CTPP aims to mobilise philanthropy, promote climate change awareness and foster collaboration among

organisations, par ticularly youth organisations, to plant and maintain 1 million trees in the Caribbean by June 2021.

The Regional Tree Planting Action Team suppor ts the National Planting Action Teams in 10-30 Caribbean countries.

CariPhilAlliance will off icially launch its Tree Ambassador Programme in Januar y 2021 when

Tree Planting Ambassadors and their team will plant trees in their community.

At least 10,000 Caribbean youth leaders will play a pivotal role in encouraging others to get involved. It is anticipated that 100,000 businesses, farmers, school children and others will par ticipate in the project.

CARIBBEAN PHILANTHROPIC ALLIANCE C ARIPH ILALLIAN C E

TREE PLAN TIN G AM BASSADO R PRO GRAM M E CARIBBEAN TREE PLANTING PROJECT The Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance (CARIPHILALLIANCE) is launching the Caribbean's first Tree Planting Ambassador Programme in the Caribbean on 10 January 2021. The programme seeks to empower at least 10,000 young Caribbean leaders to take climate action by planting trees and encouraging others to do the same in their community.

Who is a CariPhilAlliance Tree Planting Ambassador?

A person who cares about the environment and community demonstrates leadership and, has experience and knowledge in growing trees and a social media account.

What does a CariPhilAlliance Tree Planting Ambassador do?

The ambassador leads tree planting initiatives to plant at least 100 trees in his or her community and country. He or she actively engage others on social media through weekly posts, shares etc and promotes the Caribbean Tree Planting Project through interviews, presentations etc. The ambassador must document work done on at least one community tree planting initiative undertaken.

Why should you become a CariPhilAlliance Tree Planting Ambassador ?

You will positively impact your community and environment, have access to training, meet other young leaders in the Caribbean and the world, be highlighted in CTPP's social media and have the opportunity to participate in future local, regional and international events.

How do I become a CariPhilAlliance Tree Planting Ambassador ?

Plant at least ten trees then send in an application with evidence of your tree planting experience and two reference letters to cajgarraway@gmail.com.

Protect the Environment. Plant Trees One Million New Trees in the Caribbean by June 2021.

Fighting Climate Change and Protecting Livelihoods.

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January 2021

Antigua& Barbuda. TheBahamas. Barbados. TheCaymanIslands. Dominica. TheDominicanRepublic. Grenada. Guyana. Haiti.

Jamaica. Bay Islandsof Honduras. Saint Lucia. St.Maarten. Suriname. Trinidad& Tobago. USVirginIslandsandMore.

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Cayman Islands Youth Leader s Featur ing Yasmin, Marleigh, Thomas and Nicholas of the Cayman Islands Tree Planting Project

Marleigh, Yasmin, Thomas, Nicolas and Mathew, students of the Cayman International School, began working on the Cayman Islands Tree Planting Project, a youth-led initiative of the Caribbean Tree Planting Project in March 2020.

Since then, they have engaged the corporate sector, the government and schools to plant trees around the island.

As a result of their lobbying, the Government of Cayman Islands announced a National Tree

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Planting Project.

The young leaders are engaging schools to plant trees on the island. They were able to secure the donation of ten trees per school.

In October, the f irst school planted thir ty trees. Other schools have also committed to the project.

The team is hoping that the government will help them connect with more schools.

The project has par tnered with organisations such as Caribbean Bloom, The

National Trust, Trees That Feed and Dar t's 2020 Tree Giving Initiative.

The Caribbean Utilities Company, the major natural gas and electricity provider in Cayman will donate f ifty-f ive trees to plant around the island for its 55th anniversary.

Cayman's Tree Planting Project is also encouraging people to plant trees in their backyards and is giving away free fruit trees with the suppor t of Trees for Feed and Caribbean Blooms.

CARIBBEAN TREE PLANTING PROJECT

Ph o t o s: Cayman Islands Tree Planting Project Team members: Nicolas Corin, Dejea Lyons, Thomas Dickens, Yasmin Vernon, Connor Childs (Top, L-R); Grade 2 Students at Cayman International School (inset)

They hope to mobilize enough suppor t to plant 2,500 trees in Cayman.

Cayman Islands Tr ee Planting Pr oject Team MARLEIGH SMITH - Student Coordinator and Regional Leader (top left) YASMIN VERNON - Student Coordinator and Regional Leader (top right) THOMAS DICKENS - Student Volunteer (middle left)

The enthusiasm of these young environmentalists, Marleigh, Yasmin, Thomas and Nicolas is notable. They believe that they have a voice and can make a difference in combating the impact of climate change, one tree at a time.

NICOLAS CORIN - Student Volunteer (middle right) MATHEW GILMOUR - Student Coordinator (Bottom left) BILL LaMONTE - Adult Advisor (Bottom left)

Tree planting is just one initiative for them!

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Q& A WITH CAYMAN ISLANDS TREE PLANTING PROJECT TEAM Why are you passionate about t he Cayman Islands Tree Plant ing Project?

How did you get t he government involved?

I am passionate about the tree planting project because it is hugely linked to climate change and is strong on community involvement.

We had a couple of meetings with the government including the Minister of Agriculture. We introduced ourselves and showed them how we could be an asset to them in planting trees in Cayman.

You started t he project in March 2020 and COVID-19 came along around t he same t ime. What did you do?

Why do you t hink t he government is interested in working wit h you for t he Nat ional Tree Plant ing Project?

We star ted an Instagram page and, a Facebook page and posted everyday about planting trees to help to f ight climate change and did competitions online. For example, we invited persons to post a picture of their favourite tree. The winner received a gift cer tif icate to buy a tree and plant it.

We gained their respect. They realise that youth groups are a good platform for getting to the majority of people. We have been reliable in the past and they know we will get the project done.

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Why is t ree-plant ing important to Cayman?

In Cayman, the nature-rich islands

2020 / apanamagazine.com

are constantly getting built on destroying the land. The tree planting project will help us appreciate what we have here. It is also impor tant to sustain our wildlife. Also, the cruise ships and traff ic to Cayman cause a lot of pollution.

Cayman is a small island and needs to control its carbon emissions and take small steps to mitigate the effects of climate change.

How has it been connect ing wit h ot her agencies and groups wit hin t he larger Caribbean Tree Plant ing Project?

I think it is amazing to see everyone across the Caribbean and even the world coming together for the same

purpose - to plant trees. Also, hearing their stories and seeing so many youth involved is fascinating.

What are t he fut ure plans for t he project?

We want to plant 2,500 trees, par tnering with whoever will help us reach that goal.

That is why we are reaching out to as many people as possible. We want a big tree planting event.

What advice would you like to give yout h who want to start or move forward on t heir own project s?

- Your voice really does matter.

- Join youth groups that interest you to amplify your voice.

- Young persons are extremely effective as a group.

- If there is no group that interests you create one.

- Understand what is happening around you.

- Star t a small project. It does not have to be a big one.

- Take on a leadership role.

- Be that catalyst of change.

What is your favourite t ree?

THOMAS - Mango Tree NICOLAS - Blueberry Bush MARLEIGH - Mango Tree YASMIN - Poinsietta Tree

The Q & A was conducted with the support of Bill LaMonte, Adult Advisor for the Cayman Islands Tree Planting Project. Persons interviewed were: -

Yasmin Vernon - aged 18; Marleigh Smith - age 17; Nicolas Corin - aged 16; Thomas Dickens - aged 16.

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M an agem en t & Bu sin ess Con su lt in g Ser vices Taking Your Business to the Next Level!

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OCEAN HEROES NETWORK One Car ibbean.

One Sea In December 2020, 110 youth from 19 Car ibbean nations and ter r itor ies came together vir tually at the Ocean Heroes Network Bootcamp to lear n how to develop campaigns to eliminate single- use plastics, protect and preser ve biodiver sity and create deeper connections. apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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SUSTAINABILITY

THE O CEA N HERO ES N ETW O RK Ocean Heroes Network, co-founded by Captain Planet Foundation and Lonely White in the USA, trains youth leaders, aged 11 - 18 years, to create their campaigns to take action to preserve the health of oceans and fight plastic pollution.

For more information: www.oceanheroeshq.com

PLA STIC FREE CAYM A N Plastic Free Cayman is a team of volunteers dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in the Cayman Islands. They aim to raise awareness on issues surrounding single-use plastic and plastic pollution. They are actively engaged in beach cleanups, collecting thousands of pounds of garbage since their inception as a grassroots movement in 2017.

For more information: www.plasticfreecayman.com

PRO TECT O UR FUTURE Protect Our Future is an environmental campaign led by youth activists in the Cayman Islands. Its goal is to protect the environment and preserve the world's ecosystems which connecting people all over the world.

For more information: www.protectourfuture-eco.com

36 DECEMBER 2020 / apanamagazine.com

In December 2020, Ocean Heroes Network (OHN) launched its f irst-ever regional bootcamp for young ocean activists in the Caribbean. It was held vir tually under the theme, 'One Caribbean, One Sea' on December 6 and 11 - 13, 2020, hosted

by Plastic Free Cayman and Protect Our Future in par tnership with local youth and NGOs in the Cayman Islands.

Foundation has spent almost thir ty years engaging and empowering people to protect the planet. Lonely Whale conducts impact and education programs around ocean plastics.

OHN runs successful programs and helps young Ocean Heroes entrepreneurs connect globally and shares best practices and strategies to give them a headstar t when star ting their businesses.

Ocean Her oes Networ k and Bootcamp In 2015, a video of scientists removing a plastic straw from a sea tur tle's nostril went viral, prompting young people to want to take action.

They contacted the organisation to f ind out what they could do.

By 2017, Ocean Heroes Network was conceived and co-founded by Captain Planet Foundation and Lonely Whale in the USA. Captain Planet

One of its award-winning programs trains and empowers ocean activists to develop successful campaigns to remove single-use plastic from circulation and preserve ocean health. To date, almost 1,500 young people have been trained to understand the structure of change, exer t influence on policy and leverage supply-side and demand-side levers.

In 2018, OHN held its f irst Ocean Heroes Network apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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bootcamp in New Orleans followed by another in Vancouver in 2019. OHN funds the par ticipation of nonprof its and any child wishing to attend the bootcamps.

This year, due to COVID-19, OHN decided to hold a vir tual bootcamp, reaching many more young people than that the physical event. This f irst global Ocean Heroes Vir tual Bootcamp was held in June 2020 engaging 400 youth from thir ty-six countries.

Car ibbean Ocean Her oes Regional Bootcamp The Caribbean Ocean Heroes Regional Bootcamp (OHrBC) developed, organised and led by local youth including Ocean Heroes Dejea Lyons, Steff McDermot and Ben Somerville. The event was hosted by two youth organisations in the Cayman Islands - Plastic Fr ee Cayman and Pr otect Our Futur e.

Steff McDermott of Plastic Free Cayman, a 20-year old environmental activist who had attended the f irst two OHN bootcamps, wanted to conduct one in the Cayman-based on the Vancouver OHN model. She wrote to Ocean Heroes Network who was interested.

They par tnered with Plastic Free Cayman as the host organisation.

Steff, the Caribbean Bootcamp Coordinator with Dejea Lyons and Ben Somerville of Protect Our Future, the OHrBC Planners, framed the bootcamp around the idea - One Caribbean, One Sea. They believe that the Caribbean nations must unite to successfully tackle environmental issues as we 'share similar environmental problems but lack the connection'. They wanted to engender collaboration among Caribbean youth to create campaigns across the islands, taking into account the issues unique to each country and those common to them.

Youth ages 11 - 18 living in thir ty-six Caribbean nations were invited to

38 DECEMBER 2020 / apanamagazine.com

par ticipate. About 114 young people from 19 countries registered and par ticipated in the vir tual bootcamp.

During the four-day event, they explored and discussed pressures and challenges facing the health of the Caribbean Sea and our shared ocean.

The young activists got a chance to collaborate with youth leaders, NGOs, scientists and policymakers in the Caribbean to learn critical campaigning skills and develop their individual and collective campaigns and action plans.

The three core areas of focus or tracks for the bootcamp were: -

-

Plastic Pollution led by Plastic Free Cayman Ocean connection through awareness and engagement run by Fish 'n' Fins from Montserrat Biodiversity and marine conservation by Guardians of the Reef in Bermuda.

The agenda included: -

-

Cross-country bonding Mentorship through Squad Leader meetings and off ice hourswith exper ts and other youth Campaign development through vir tual panels Keynote speaker sessions.

Before the bootcamp, par ticipants were paired with one of twenty 'Squad Leader', from eight islands. These Squad Leaders who had demonstrated success in launching and running a transformative campaign were trained for two months to ensure they could mentor the par ticipants assigned to them.

Upon completion, the par ticipants join the global Ocean Heroes Network of 1,500 young people in 50 nations.

PHOTO: Ocean Heroes: Claire Hughes (left); Bill LaMonte (middle); Steff McDermot (right)

PHOTO: Protect Our Future Campaign in Cayman Islands apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

Leesa Car ter-Jones President , Captain Planet Foundat ion, Co-founder, Ocean Heroes Net work

Youth are the superpower in demanding change and shifting policy.

At the Caribbean Ocean Heroes Regional Bootcamp, the conversations were interesting.

I discovered that it is not culturally common for young people to question an adult's decisions. This is impor tant for policy change. So, the question was "How do you interact with adults and get them to listen?" There was a lot of discussion around that. At the camp, we focused on building the conf idence of young people so they can approach adults. We will also connect them with other Ocean Heroes across the world who have been successful in doing just that.

And, there is the reality of how much comes into the islands packaged. What do you do with the packaging? We need creative

thinking and entrepreneurialism for reclaimed and recovered plastic. It is more urgent in the Caribbean. Some Ocean Heroes have created companies to do just that. We offer training and can help connect them globally. The Ocean Heroes share best practices, strategies and documents so that they do not have to star t from zero.

For example, a young woman removed f ive million straws from 128 schools in one school year in California. The students put their straws on a food tray ever yday which she collected. Ocean Heroes worked with this young woman to develop a strategy toolkit on how to get star ted and make it work and, how to get adults to listen. This toolkit is available to all Ocean Heroes.

We found straws was a great tool for focus training because most

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young people use them. They then expand into preserving ocean health and reefs.

We are working with the United Nations Environmental Programme to do a bootcamp in Africa and Asia next year. We are also doing one with the surf ing community. And the next one in the Caribbean will be November next year.

The program was really conceived to shor ten the time for a young person to activate themselves and put together a campaign, to understand how much power they have and how to do it. This training is useful in other aspects of their lives.

The Caribbean has some determined young people who can ar ticulate and are ready to make a change.

OCEAN HEROES I was born and raised in the Cayman Islands. Given that I have lived my entire life on this small island, my brother and I have spent all of our time in the ocean and exploring the reefs. I have become extremely passionate about free-diving, surf ing, f ishing, and almost every other activity that involves water from a very young age.

My experiences with nature and the ocean are very different than most. I have been able to witness creatures that many only see online, explore depths that some never have the oppor tunity too,

PROTECTOURFUTURE CAYMANISLANDS

and live in a place that has some of the most pristine marine ecosystems available.

My love for the ocean is the main reason that I became so invested in sustainability. From spending every weekend on boats exploring large reef drop-offs and shark breeding zones, I have been a f irst-hand witness to the effects of climate change. My love for the ocean will never leave, but the oppor tunities that people can experience in these environments will, if we do not f ight for what we love.

Ben Somer ville President, Protect Our Future + OHrBC Planner (Ocean Hero 2019, Ocean Hero Squad Leader 2020)

Ben Somerville

My name is Dejea Lyons. I am 17 years old. I was born and raised in the beautiful Cayman Islands. I have manifested a deep love for the ocean with me living on an island. I have gotten involved in water spor ts such as swimming.

Par ticipating in these activities gave me a f irst-hand look at the downward progression of the ocean?s health.

Whether it was plastic in the water or coral bleaching, I could tell that our oceans needed help. In order to take action, my f irst steps were attending Ocean Heroes Bootcamp

2019. Coming from the camp, I became the vice president of Protect Our Future, a youth-led organization in the Cayman Islands.

Within the year, the organization has helped prevent a cruise por t from being built, we helped push the plastic policy in Cayman and bring awareness to the impor tance of our marine flora and fauna such as mangroves. I am so excited to be a Squad Leader this year and, I can?t wait for what is to come.

Dejea Lyons

Dejea Lyons Vice President, Protect Our Future + OHrBC Planner (Ocean Hero 2019, Ocean Hero Squad Leader 2020)

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SUSTAINABILITY

Steff McDermott

Danny White

Weldon Wade

2020 PARTNERS

Bill LaMonte

Ben Somerville

Francella Martin

Claire Hughes

Dejea Lyons

Join t h e Ocean Her oes If you are interesting in reducing plastic pollution and preserving the health of the Caribbean Sea Em ail: Car ibbean @Ocean Her oes.blu e 42 DECEMBER 2020 / apanamagazine.com

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BUSI NESS

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY There is no doubt that the road to economic recover y is a digital one. It can help foster the growth of SMEs in the Car ibbean.

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The socio-economic impact of the pandemic is unprecedented. Large, small- and medium-sized businesses and, micro-businesses had to urgently prepare for survival and the long journey ahead.

They were forced to f ind new ways to sustain their operations and service delivery.

As personal and professional activities moved online in response to the COVID-19 crisis, we adapted to the challenges of living, working and learning remotely and experienced f irst hand, how dependent we are on digital infrastructure, services and applications.

Digital skills and education, the impor tance of par tnerships and cybersecurity topped national and organisational agendas worldwide.

We know that digital technologies are indispensable for the function of economies, societies and our lives. Digitization is not new to businesses but they too often embrace technology as a means to an end in a reactive manner. Sometimes, only when necessary.

While digital innovation is par t of the DNA of some countries such as Finland - the country that brought us SMS, 5G and the Linux operating system and the most tech star tups, others lag. At no other time was the digital divide more apparent than in 2020.

The Caribbean is so far behind the rest of the world that unless the region and businesses prioritizes digital transformation and digital resiliency that focuses on people and data if they are to survive in the long-run.

There is no doubt that the road to economic recovery is a digital one. And, fostering the growth of small, medium-sized (SMEs) to build back economies post-pandemic is paramount.

Representing more than 90 per cent of all businesses worldwide, SMEs can play a signif icant role in national economic growth and job creation in the Caribbean. This is par ticularly true for tech SMEs the source of innovative ICT-enabled solutions with apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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the power to change the Caribbean and the world, and the engine driving digital transformation. So now, more than ever we need creative SMEs with innovative tech solutions - and tech SMEs, star t-ups and entrepreneurs need suppor t and encouragement form the industry and government.

One example is Cuba.

stimulate socio-economic development in the country.

Cuba's digital sector focuses on software development, including products, services and applications for industry, business and society. The National Computerization Program is a central pillar in the country's economic and social development strategy with a strong emphasis on highly-skilled technical education and human capital.

They require the kind of suppor t that offers them visibility, affords them credibility, oppor tunities for par tnerships, business leads and connections within their country, the region and the world. We need to move from rhetoric to suppor t that helps them take their ideas to scale and capitalize on oppor tunities.

Connected Cambodia is the motto of the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and ICT sectors in The Kingdom of Cambodia. Its vision is an effective network infrastructure and accessible services to

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/ apanamagazine.com

The Caribbean is full of talented young people with fantastic ideas for creative uses of technology. They need a conducive environment that not only fosters innovation but development and deployment.

As always, f inancial suppor t is of critical impor tance in driving helping star t-ups and accelerating SME growth for development.

You r St or y is Ou r St or y Bu sin ess . Civ il So ciety . Go v er n m en t We help you share your knowledge and social engagements in your community.

We craft content to align your brand with relevant themes that resonate strongly with your target audience using. text, audio and video.

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ApaNa br ings you daily development new s and v iew s from the Car ibbean and beyond on topics including: -

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BUSI NESS

UN- ITU TELECOM WORLD SME AWARDS 2020 At the f irst ITU Digital SME Vir tual Awards, creative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and innovative technology solutions were once again on display on the world stage.

The Awards recognized SMEs with innovative tech solutions working for real social impact.

Like many other events, programmes and initiatives, the Awards were moved online this year. While the oppor tunities for in-person networking were reduced, the global reach was greater.

This year, star t-ups and SMEs entered their innovation solution in one of four categories: - Connectivity - Increasing universal access to the Internet;

- Smar t Cities, Smar t Living Using digital tech to improve urban life in areas such energy, food management or education; - E-heal th - Improving healthcare through remote diagnosis, monitoring or care in the home; - Digital Finance - Increasing and improving access to the economy for the banked and unbanked.

The f inalists, selected by a jury of exper ts of industr y specialists, investors and innovation hubs battled it out in live pitching sessions from 30 November.

Those pitching sessions were open to all to watch and culminated in the crowning of the winners in each categor y in the online Awards Ceremony on 7 December.

A proud media partner of the UN-ITU Virtual Digital World SME Awards & Master Classes

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The winners receive online visibility, UN recognition, a unique cer tif icate of achievement and an invitation to join the next physical event, ITU Digital World 2021 in Hai Noi, Viet Nam in October 2021 and take par t in ITU's full SME programme on-site and in-person.

Launched in 2015, the ITU Telecom World SME Awards programme is a United Nations (UN) platform that suppor ts and fosters the growth of small businesses in the information, communications and technology (ICT) sector. It offers visibility, credibility, par tnerships, business leads for star tups and SMEs around the globe.

ITU Telecom is a division of ITU, the lead UN lead agency for digital technologies.

Ast rome Technologies Private Limited India

Connect ivit y Winner Solving Network Congestion in India Astrome Technologies Private Limtied is pioneering the future of millimeter wave wireless communication - bet it on ear th or from space. GigaMesh is our f irst product which solves network congestion problems in 4G infrastructure and paves the way for 5G by providing f ibre-like back-haul capacity wirelessly. GigaMesh is also ideal for extending the range of f ibre to suppor t rural infrastructure growth.

We are incubated at the Indian Institute of Science, India's premier R&D school. We are suppor ted by organisations including Cisco, Analog Devices and IESA. We have received multiple awards for the impact our technology will create on telecom infrastructure in India.

We use the same technology to build satellite transponders with 12 times more capacity than tradition Ku/Ka band transponders. Our ultimate vision is to bean the internet from space using satellites carrying our transponders.

Smart Cit ies, Smart Living Winner Improving the Public Transit System in Vietnam

BusMap Viet nam

Five years ago, when the founder was in his third year of college, he saw that riding the bus was uncomfor table and wasted time. He did not know when the bus would arrive or which line to take based on a jumbled offline map. So he wrote his own algorithm and developed BusMap as a solution to tackle the problem of public transit in Vietnam.

BusMap provides solutions for smar t public transit. The application helps bus riders travel more conveniently and easily. The core map technology on BusMap helps to lower the operation cost as well as increase performance. This core map technology includes map layer data structure, a public transit navigation algorithm, and advanced features with easy UX on client applications. Busmap has also developed its own IoT core team in order to expand the market and customers. They can provide completed software-hardware solutions for corporates and governments.

Source: UN-ITU apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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Ast rome Technologies Private Limited India

E-Healt h Winner Improving Access to Healthcare Information in Angola Appy Saúde is an e-health platform that allows users to f ind medicines available in the nearest pharmacies, compare prices and buy online, and book appointments with doctors online in a simple way. It is also like a "trip-advisor" for the health sector, allowing users to check the health establishment prof ile, make ratings, check working schedules, etc. The biggest impact that our application is having now is allowing thousands of users to f ind medication at the closest pharmacies, check and compare prices. In a marketer where the price of a medication various by up to 100% from pharmacy to pharmacy, being able to compare the prices not only allows the user to use their resources wisely but also helps to adjust the market by providing information that was not there before.

Appy Saude disrupts the social and economic status quo. We place information-sharing at the centre and empower all users to have free access to health information. With this, we are bringing full transparency to a market with many price asymmetries, which often cost people's lives. Having a health platform in Africa is a great way to bring visibility to an impor tant sector and domain, and a step to improve the quality of services.

Digital Finance

OKO

Winner Increasing Food Security in Mali and Uganda OKO creates and distributes crop insurance to smallholder farmers in emerging countries to secure their income and improve access to f inancial tools.

To do so, OKO uses simple mobile technologies to be accessible to anyone with a phone, automating claim verif ication using satellite data and images.

OKO is currently operating in Mali and Uganda and was recently listed in the Inclusive50 list of the most impactful companies when it comes to f inancial inclusion.

Source: UN-ITU

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Israel

M A STERCLA SSES The SME Masterclasses were par t of the ITU Digital World SME Awards. Held from November 11- 30, they provided an oppor tunity to recognize excellent innovative tech solutions, build resilience and encourage investment in tech SME amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The Vir tual SME Masterclasses, a series of exper t-led, free online webinars offered practical tools, professional insights and guidance on international best practices for SMEs in productivity, pitching and scaling up. Run by experienced practitioners, the masterclasses were open to everyone and provided oppor tunities to learn more on the cybersecurity landscape for SMEs, build better management approaches, hone pitching skills and learn how to break into new markets.

Masterclass #1: Achieving High Levels of Productivity and Quality in Your Business

Masterclass #3: The Ultimate Tech Startup Guide to International Expansion

Masterclass #2: Keeping Safe in Cyberspace: Cybersecurity for SMEs

Masterclass #4: Preparing the Investor Pitch Deck

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SME, Telecom Wor ld 2019 2 Success Stor ies We highlight the value and benef its that the United Nations ITU Telecom events have brought some award winners and SME exhibitors.

By UN-I TU

semse apps, Hu n g ar y Semse Apps develops unique applications for neurofeedback devices that can help users learn to release stress consciously, become calm and better focused. We took par t in ITU Telecom World 2019 to make new connections and expand the horizon of our par tnerships - which we believe we have succeeded in doing.

It was incredible to be par t of the Hungarian pavilion.

These were teams from so many countries which made the whole experience even more colourful with extremely high standards.

Presenting to the audience and learning so many new ways to pitch was an exciting oppor tunity and a real highlight for us. We met several SMEs with similar interests, as well as meeting many people from different sectors, providing us with potential connections for the future - we have already contacted several companies.

Taking par t has enabled us to validate our star tup idea, raise awareness of a possible solution to reduce stress and receive a large amount of feedback. It has been an honour and given us a boost for the future.

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v o k ac o m, Gh ana Our main reason for coming to ITU Telecom World was to make the most of the oppor tunity to tell our innovative solution story to the world through exposure to the event's global platform, so we can attract a lot more countries to use our universal digital addressing solution, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This will, in turn, connect us to buyers, investors, par tners and sponsors. We took par t in the exhibition with the Ghana Pavilion, where we engaged with the high-prof ile delegation that visited our booth in the company of the ITU Secretary-General.

We also pitched for the Global SME Awards and joined training sessions on attracting investors where we learned a lot on how to change our f inancial par tnership posture with international

funding agencies and on position our business solution for the right medial suppor t going forward.

Taking par t in the SME Programme and Awards gave us f irst-hand experience of other tech solution from around the world, global exposure to investors, media, government and international organisations and an oppor tunity to learn from other tech companies on their disruptive solutions.

It is very encouraging to have been awarded the ITU Telecom Global SME Award for Best Business Model which has given us a bigger endorsement in referencing the ITU platform.

With this recognition, the future looks amazing and very positive.

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PLUS

Communicate Your Positive Impact on Society Today, consumers, investors and employees put a high value on making a positive impact on society. They prefer to suppor t an organisation that share their values and standards. If they think an organisation has no purpose beyond prof its, it is harder to maintain attract and retain customer loyalty.

Recognising this, many organisations have committed to making a positive social impact but that is only half the battle. In order to attract and retain those who care deeply about corporate social responsibility (CSR), you need to communicate your CSR activities effectively.

Without a good communication strategy, no one knows what you are doing.

Here are f ive steps to highlight your CSR success:

1. Be Proactive, not Defensive When engaging your employees or customers with CSR-related communication, do not be seen as defensive. The context of communication is impor tant since stakeholders are increasingly cynical about corporate motives these days.

You should commit to communicating your CSR-initiatives and engaging in dialogue all year, ever y day, not just in response to an emergency.

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i l l u st r at i o n by dremondtanic@gm https://dremondtan

y Dremond Tanic. mail.com nic.artstation.com

2. Align Your Social I mpact I nitiatives With Your Core Business Do not take a scattershot approach to CSR initiatives.

Instead, focus on core strengths and activities that directly link your brand and your stakeholders. Select initiatives that have the potential to engage your employees, intrigue your customers and enhance your brand image. For example, Coca-Cola has invested heavily in developing a 100% paper bottle that helps to reduce plastic waste and environmental pollution.

3. Tell Your Stor ies Based on Quantif iable I mpact Cute photos of smiling employees volunteering are great but quantifying your impact is more powerful. You measure your business initiatives by return on investment, so do the same for social impacts. For example, set an annual target for reducing annual carbon footprint or increasing the amount of recycled water used. It is hard to argue with statistics.

4. Adopt Multimedia Approaches The days of writing a press release and sending it out to your local news outlets are gone. Communications platforms are ever ywhere. Did your employees volunteer for a charitable race? Have them take photos, write a Facebook post, craft a blog post or make a video for your company's website. Instead of saving your CSR messages for the annual repor t, why not disseminate them throughout the year.

5. Customize For Your Stakeholder s Different audiences have different expectations for CSR-related communications. To engage employees, show how their par ticipation drives positive social change. For investors, emphasise how CSR activities enhance brand value. Knowing the various perspectives of your stakeholders and customizing your messages accordingly will reap large rewards.

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A Car ibbean Company's Cause Campaign - 12 Year s On Massy Stores St.Lucia (formerly Consolidated Foods Ltd) provides a good example of a successful cause marketing campaign in the Caribbean.

The Pink Ribbon By the time, the pink ribbon came on the scene as a symbol for breast cancer awareness in the United States in 1992, breast cancer activists had already done quite a lot of work to raise awareness of the disease, de-stigmatize breast cancer, fund research and institutionalize suppor t. The breast cancer movement had made a real impact.

October became a month f illed with shops selling their

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pink-ribboned products, breastcancer-themed events and fundraisers.

science f iction f ilm, Jurassic Park targeting women ages 18 - 43 but with little success.

It was a good and moral cause and companies capitalized on the pink ribbon's public appeal.

Corporations believed that, associating with such a cause could enhance their public image and, their bottom-line. General Mills, an American For tune 500 company was one.

Then, in 1998, the management of Yoplait's California production plant approved a request from its employees to sponsor a local breast cancer race. This was the beginning of what was to become one of the world's best-known cause promotion programmes.

The Start In the early 1990s, General Mills, the manufacturer of the United States' leading yoghur t brand, Yoplait, was searching for a new promotional identity. It had tried various campaigns with f igure skating, women's hockey and the

2020 / apanamagazine.com

Time and testing proved that suppor ting the f ight against breast cancer appealed to Yoplait's target consumers and retail par tners worldwide including the Caribbean.

General Mills, thinking that they had hit upon an 'ownable connection' with its consumers

?You have to touch the community to be a part of it?

Andre Chastanet

and par tners decided to explore the breast cancer cause fur ther.

Save t he Lids to Save Lives Campaign

After a brief par tnership with a breast cancer group, General Mills teamed up the Dallas-based group called Susan G. Komen for the Cur e - the world's largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists to create Save the Lids to Save Lives Campaign. This cause-related campaign, launched in 1998, became the centrepiece of General Mills' effor ts.

Every September and October, General Mills sold Yoplait yoghur t topped with pink lids.

The company donated ten cents for every lid that consumers returned, up to a predetermined cap with a guaranteed minimum.

At the time of the launch, Yoplait yoghur t was the number one yoghur t in the United States accounting for $1.1 billion of General Mills' $11.2 billion in sales.

For the business, the positive impact was clear. The sales for Yoplait increased signif icantly during September and October.

Tens of millions were spent every year worldwide.

In 2008, General Mills reached the cap of $1.5 million in the United States. In that same year, General Mills repor ted a 14

Cause Mar keting Cause marketing, also known as cause-related marketing or commercial co-ventures, is a commercial and marketing relationship between a business and a nonprofit entity to market an image, product, or service linked to a social cause or issue, for a mutual benefit.

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per cent sales increase for the Yoplait division.

Over thir teen years, Yoplait donated more than US$30 million in f inancial suppor t to Komen through all donation programs.

For Komen, the Race for Cure series grew each year with 1.6 million people par ticipating in 2010.

CFL/Yoplait Walk for Cancer Consolidated Foods Ltd (CFL), the local distributor for Yoplait yoghur t in St.Lucia, actively suppor ted community groups and activities around health and crime prevention.

Andre Chastanet, the then Managing

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Director, believed that 'you had to touch the community to be par t of it' and 'a company exists in a community, so a healthy community means a healthy business.'

So, when General Mills approached CFL to par ticipate in the Save Lids to Save Lives Campaign in 2008, it was not a hard sell. It was a natural f it for the organisation that predominantly employed women and whose customers were mainly women, many of whom had been touched by breast cancer either themselves, through a colleague, a family member, or a friend.

CFL took the campaign and adapted it to

Ph o t o s: 2008 - A small repres Reach to Recover y - suppor t gro sur vivor s. (top); Massy Stores pin suppor t of breast cancer. (bottom

sentation of the ladies of oup for breast cancer nk shopping bags in m).

f it within the local context. Its objective was to de-stigmatize breast cancer by increasing public awareness and, to raise funds for women living with cancer in Saint Lucia.

pink. Customers bought T-shir ts for themselves, friends, and family. Companies also purchased T-shir ts for their staff. CFL contributed to the cost of the T-shir ts and the proceeds were added to the cancer fund.

CFL par tnered with Reach to Recover y, a cancer suppor t group headed by Mrs Marianne Bergasse, and The St.Lucia Cancer Society, the off icial cancer organisation in St.Lucia. Together with these organisations, CFL launched the CFL/ Yoplait Wal k for Cancer Campaign in 2008.

The media was incredibly suppor tive of the initiative. For example, the WAVE radio station gave CFL a weekly time slot for inter views with medical practitioners and others. This also provided an oppor tunity for people to call in and share their stories.

The cancer campaign included the Save Lids to Save Lives Campaign where ten cents from the sale of every pink-lidded yoghur t was placed in a fund along with the registration fees received for the CFL/Yoplait Walk for Cancer.

An interesting activity was added to the cancer walk - Men in Heel s. At the end of the walk, men would wear heels and par ticipate in an obstacle course race. They wanted to make people aware that men get breast cancer too!

CFL sponsored the walk organised by Reach to Recover y and, donated the funds to the St.Lucia Cancer Society in mid-November.

In the f irst year, CFL was able to raise a total of EC$16,445.

The End of t he Yoplait Campaign

In St.Lucia, October became known as Cancer month in addition to Jounen Kweyol month. Jounen Kweyol celebrates St.Lucia's cultural heritage, culminating with festivals and fairs on the last Friday and last Sunday of October.

The termination of the General Mills campaign also marked the end of the CFL/Yoplait Cancer Walk with the last Cancer Walk and Auction Evening being held in 2017.

CFL could not afford to f inance the walk without General Mills' contribution.

The Cancer Campaign Evolved

The CFL/Yoplait Cancer Walk campaign was the biggest single fundraiser for breast cancer on the island raising over EC$400,000 for the cause over ten years.

CFL brought their sponsorship to life as more people and organisations became committed to the cause and raised funds themselves.

Additional par tner organisations included the National Community Foundation and Faces of Cancer (a breast cancer survivor group).

The campaign expanded from CFL receiving donations in cash and in-kind (prizes for the walk etc) to include activities such as an auction evening, health education and talks for CFL employees and other organisations.

There were Pink Fridays during the month of October when people were asked to wear

General Mills' Save Lids to Save Lives campaign ended internationally, three years before it did in the Caribbean in 2018.

General Mills continues to suppor t breast cancer campaigns on a smaller scale in the region. For example, the Walk for Cure organised by CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank.

A Redesigned Cancer Campaign The end of the Save Lids to Save Lives campaign coincided with the acquisition of CFL by Massy Stores in 2018. Headquar tered in Trinidad and Tobago, Massy Stores operates businesses in Barbados, Guyana, apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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St.Vincent and the Grenadines and St.Kitts and Nevis and St.Lucia.

In an effor t to continue suppor ting the breast cancer movement, Massy Stores redesigned the campaign, calling it The Massy Stor es Br east Cancer Campaign.

This campaign focused on raising funds from the sale of signature breast cancer pink items including T-shir ts, tote bags, pens and other pink-branded items. They also introduced cash register donations at all its stores island-wide. A customer, when cashing out, could make a donation in denominations of $5, $10, $15 and $20 up to a maximum of $200. Massy Stores St.Lucia matches the funds raised up to $6,000. The cash register donations are given to Faces of Cancer.

campaign, Massy Stores replaced those bags with limited edition pink ones and sold them from October 1 to November 13, 2020.

During the six-week period, customers were encouraged to purchase the pink reusable shopping bags and give cash register donations.

Each country conducted its campaign deciding on the percentage of their contribution from sales of the bags to their local cancer fund and the local nonprof it organisation(s) they would suppor t.

For example, Massy Stores St.Lucia contributed EC$1.00 from the sale of $5.75 bag while in Barbados, it was BD$1.50 from the sale of a $2.95 bag and TT$4.00 from the sale of a $10.00 bag in Trinidad and Tobago.

Now a Regional Campaign In 2020, Massy Stores decided to take the campaign to the regional level. It combined its f ight to protect the environment with suppor ting breast cancer nonprof it par tners.

In 2019, Massy had introduced green reusable shopping bags for its Protect the Environment campaign.

As par t of the breast cancer

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Massy Stores Trinidad and Tobago donated TT$140,576 to the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society surpassing its target of TT$50,000.

Massy Stores St.Lucia raised $26,800.47 for Faces of Cancer.

The campaign provided an oppor tunity to connect with a nonprof it par tner who shared their company's values and suppor t a cause.

Ph o t o s: 2008 - CFL?s Managing Director ? A an award of recognition to Mr s. Mar ianne Be super market, Super J and Yoplait(top); 2008 Administr ator of the St. Lucia Cancer Society

cheque from the Divisional Head of Marketin

Andre Chastanet presenting er gasse from CFL's 8 - Sonyette Rodr igues y receiving a ceremonial

Sancha Raggie, Market ing Manager, Massy Stores St .Lucia "When I was asked to organise the Cancer Walk, I was overwhelmed. I had never handled a big event like that before and did not know whether I would get the buy-in from the public. I found that it was easy as ever yone was willing to suppor t us. Ever yone came together in a way we did not expect including the media. When I star ted selling the T-shir ts and the Walk, I found out how many people were touched by cancer., personally or through a family member or friend. Those who could not attend the walk bought pink T-shir ts or other pink items or made cash or in-kind donations.

The walk star ted with just over 900 people in 2008. By the time it ended ten years later in 2017, over 2,500 people par ticipated. The f irst cheque was given to Soniette Rodrigues who headed the St.Lucia Cancer Society in 2008. She did not have cancer at the time but sadly, she died of cancer a few years later."

ng ? Linda Augier

June Mitchell, Cancer Conqueror, Reach to Recovery "I am a cancer survivor for twenty-two years. I joined Reach to Recovery when I got breast cancer and met Mrs Marianne Bergasse. I knew nothing about cancer and how I would get through it. Mrs Bergasse opened her hear t to breast cancer survivors or 'conquerors' as she called us helped me a lot. She handed over the baton to me when she got Alzheimer. Most of our group members have died so the group is facing some issues.

In Saint Lucia, we have a long way to go to get rid of PHOTO: June Mitchell with the stigmas attached to cancer. Some people will Mrs Mairanne Bergasse suppor t us by buying a T-shir t but will not wear it because they do not want to get cancer. There is little government suppor t in place for cancer patients so they must rely on NGOs for suppor t. But funding is an issue so we do what we can.

CFL was the largest contributor to the Cancer Walk. They supplied T-shir ts, water and prizes."

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Ph o t o : Dorothy Phillips, Founder, Faces of Cancer, Saint Lucia.

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Faces of Cancer Saint Lucia Dorothy Phillips, Founder In 2010, I was diagnosed with cancer, a year after I had moved back to Saint Lucia. I returned to the USA for treatment. It was there that I realised that cancer was not something to be afraid of.

I would go to doctor visits and see other patients laughing and talking in the waiting room. It was not doom and gloom. Whilst in Georgia, I joined a suppor t group. The experience was uplifting so I decided to bring it to Saint Lucia.

When I returned two years later, I star ted Faces of Cancer. I thought it would be a place that people could go to for suppor t. The cancer clinic I had gone to in St.Lucia made me feel like I would not survive. I realised that education was not there.

People would say they have cancer and, when I asked them what type of cancer it was, they could not tell me.

They did not know what the procedure was. They did not know that they should go to an oncologist and not a general doctor. I decided to bring greater awareness to the cancer patient. I worked with cancer groups, schools etc.

When I f irst star ted, people were afraid of talking about cancer. Now they know how to embrace it and deal with it.

We aim to work with the cancer patient in her best interest. We conduct our due diligence and look at her track record.

Since 2018, Faces of Cancer has been navigating people to other islands like Barbados, Mar tinique and

Trinidad & Tobago to get treatment because St.Lucia does not have the capacity to treat them. In this COVID-time, it is worse. We give them advice.

We get no help from the government and so we depend mainly on corporate St.Lucia.

We also realised that the costs associated with treating cancer were very high. If one does not have the money in St.Lucia, they cannot get treatment. So every year, we take care of one patient and cover all the costs for the treatment. This is costly. For example, we spent over $58,000 for a cancer patient in November 2019.

We want to do more but we do not have the funds.

Faces of Cancer also conducts health fairs every October for four weeks. We do screening for prostate, cervical and breast cancer. We cover the costs of processing. Due to COVID, we were only able to have one health fair this year. We held it at the health centre in the community of Faux St.Jacques. We did not adver tise because we wanted to control the numbers. Since we could not have four in October, we plan to have one a month next year.

Massy Stores St.Lucia is a large corporate sponsor for Faces of Cancer. The monies received from Massy goes towards the cancer patient that we suppor t every year. Other sponsors include CIBC FirstCaribbean and Sandals Foundation.

The money we receive goes a long way to help us organise the health, and provide medication and suppor t to those who approach us for assistance.

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Natur e Fun Ranch Bar bados Th e passi o n an d pu r po se o f c o r ey l an e, f o u n d er 64

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When one listens to Corey Lane, one of the f ive teenage founders of Nature Fun Ranch (NFR), you hear his passion and unwavering commitment to the youth of Barbados, par ticularly at-risk youth. Corey understands them.

He was one of them two decades ago.

In 1998, Corey, a teenager, was in a dark place and wanted to change his life from one of crime to one of positivity.

The oppor tunity came when Corey's grandmother gave him twenty-two rabbits and someone helped him buy his f irst horse "Moving Out".

With four of his friends, they star ted a community group and with Corey's newly acquired animals, they star ted Nature Fun Ranch - a place of fun and freedom - for teenagers like himself. Within a shor t time, the group increased from f ive to f ifteen then seventy-f ive.

Twenty-two years later, Nature Fun Ranch is a registered nonprof it organisation running programmes for over four hundred at-risk youth ever y year.

According to Corey, it was a long and diff icult road. Initially, he spent a lot of time trying to convince 'adults' that NFR could work. At the time, they did not think that 15 - 16 years were interested in agriculture or even nature.

In 2008, NFR got a lucky break.

When working with twenty-one children in one of the ver y troublesome districts, a

proprietor who was impressed with the work that NFR made up to for ty acres of land available to set up its facilities. NFR had its f irst home for its animals and members. NFR later moved to Bruce Vale in St.Andrew where it is located today.

NFR is now recognised as the place where at-risk youth can learn to turn their life around to become productive members of society regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. Magistrates, probation off icers and guidance counsellors send young boys and girls to NFR for help.

Corey has received recognition for his work. For him, the awards including the Queen's Award is "just reminders that make you pause and reflect on the work that you are doing.

They are the fuel in your tank to keep you going." Corey feels the most signif icant award for him was the ANSA McAL Award.

Prince Harry's visit to NFR in 2016 was a major highlight for Corey. Corey was elated when Prince Harry commented that NFR exceeded his expectations.

NFR benef ited from the exposure. The much-needed suppor t to repair and upgrade the facilities were suddenly for thcoming. Work that he wanted to do for years was completed in a day. More parents took an interest in NFR and wanted to send their children there.

The most gratifying and rewarding par t of Corey's work is to see young people transform

from 'terrors in society' to 'positive young leaders'. He believes that with love, care, exposure and good role models, young people can overcome the root causes of criminality and risky behaviour to become good citizens. Some who have become successful business people, jockey, farmers, pilots etc say they could not have done it without NFR. Corey is constantly reevaluating his programs and continues to run NFR on limited resources and capacity while never failing to suppor t the youth. This is the hardest par t.

Corey and his team interact with young people 365 days a year from 7.30 am to 10.00 pm on most days.

He wishes the ranch could ser ve more young people. His goal is to scale up operations at Bruce Vale and open another facility.

He wants to build a barn and stables for their twenty-six horse so they can move out of the make-shift stall. His goal is to reach 2,000 youth per year. But he needs funding.

Corey Lane is an example of a young man who turned his life around. Someone with a vision and passion for young people.

He has dedicated his life to serving his community by helping to create a generation of empowered, self-conf ident individuals who just needed a chance. His passion and purpose are commendable!

Email: nfrbarbados@gmail.com Telephone: 1 246 851 1637

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MISSION: To see posit ive development in our members, see t hem become well-rounded cit izens of our societ y, communit y-minded individuals leading in t heir spheres of life and giving back to societ y.

Natur e Fun Ranch Bar bados Ranching, Farming and Reforming Nature Fun Ranch (NFR) is a registered charity dedicated to youth development in Barbados.

The charity runs a ranch on a ten-acre proper ty at Bruce Vale, St.Andrew.

There, NFR provides a safe environment that fosters the positive psychosocial development of primarily at-risk youth through outdoor, educational, equestrian and fun-f illed activities. It offers them an oppor tunity to transform their negative lifestyles to become productive citizens and good role models.

Donor s, Sponsor s and Volunteer s Contact Corey Lane at : Nature Fun Ranch, Bruce Vale, St.Andrew, Barbados Email: nfrbarbados@gmail.com

Trained staff and mentors work with the youth and their families to understand and tackle the root causes of their nonconforming behaviour while providing suppor t for a positive behavioural change.

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Telephone: (246) 851 1637

Ph o t o s: Ranch team celebrate with trainee jockeys (left); Young ones enjoying getting close to the oldest pony on site - 'Indian' (right);

1. At tach and At t ract

APEX Intervention Program The APEX Intervention Program is designed to help at-risk youth transition into adulthood to become productive members of society.

There are four components to the programme:

NFR's fun activities with ATVs, animals and farming appeal to the youth so they want to par ticipate. The newcomers become attached to animals and people at NFR.

2. Passion and Purpose NFR helps them f ind that sense of purpose and become passionate about what they are doing by helping them set and achieve goals.

3. Exposure and Empowerment NFR empowers its youth members by exposing them to new options and oppor tunities through education, tours, talks and access to role models.

4. Exchange This f inal stage in the programme is about the par ticipants consciously changing their negative lifestyle for a positive and successful one. It is also about giving back to persons who are like them. apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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DAY IN THE LIFE OF A NATURE FUN RANCHER 9:00 am - 7:00 pm On weekends and during the vacation, the non-resident rancher is picked up from his or her home at 7.30 am by one of f ive shuttles.

Upon arrival, the rancher is briefed on what will happen during the day. He or she is assigned to one of eight ranch sections: - Mounted Tr oop ? This is where all horsemanship and equestrian activities are organised.

- Recr eation and Adventur e Par k ? This is for fun, adventure and challenging activities.

- Natur e ? Ranchers learn how to care for the environment. Attractions include tree houses, hammocks, ?villages?, natural huts and towers - Activities ? The section is responsible for planning and executing the ?fun?of the group. This includes onsite and offsite indoor and outdoor activities, spor ts, f itness and games.

- Administr ation ? This section organises meetings, public relations, transpor t, f inance, hospitality, f iling and other administrative duties.

- Pr oduction ? This depar tment takes care of the animals, crops, trees, plants, by-products and crews - Club ? Cooking, educational studies, spiritual studies, games and other club activities are the responsibility of this section.

- Over al l Pr ogr am ? This covers other life aspects: life skills, healthy lifestyles, saving and investment, leadership and management, team-building exercises and youth reform.

At 9.00 am, the rancher works around the ranch until 11.30 am when he or she takes a break.

After lunch, the rancher par ticipates in activities, such as camps, practical and theoretical training courses, tours, cookouts, and other outdoor activities.

The rancher cleans up, checks off the duty-list before depar ting for home at 7.00 pm.

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Ph o t o s: Relaunch of National Tree Planting Initiative conducted on the grounds of Nature Fun Ranch (top left); Ranchers smiling after receiving tablets to assist with school during the COVID-19 lockdown (middle left); Shytone Yarde and Rashanna Miller acting as Mascots on a Ranch Tour (bottom left); Corey Lane hosting the Annual Tourism Youth Awards (top right); Assistant Ranch Chief, Jerosha Small showing off a rabbit during a tour (above); Prince Harry sporting his Nature Fun Ranch T-shirt on his visit in December 2016 (right).

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7

w ays Ch i ef Ex ec u t i v es Can En g ag e Th e Bo ar d The chief executive may want to make a difference by helping others and building community par tnerships. So, they are willing to take the initiative and even some risk for a cause that they believe is impor tant. The chief executive's success of the chief executive in achieving his or mission or vision often depends on building a good governance par tnership that gets the board members involved.

A chief executive manages the staff but is an employee of the board. In a constructive par tnership with the board, he or she provides leadership that engages and involves the board in governance. For the chief executive, the par tnership involves working for and with the board and even working the board.

The chief executive has specif ic expectations around the vision and accountability as he or she translates the board's collective thinking to fulf il the organisation's mission.

He or she shares knowledge to engage board members in asking the critical strategic questions that contribute to organisational effectiveness.

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The chief executive opens doors to resources and relationships that make the board focus on the organisation's mission, with both par ties bringing their skills and exper tise to bear on the desired results.

We offer seven rules for the chief executive to lead by, and to follow: 1. MAKE THE MISSION MATTER While the chief executive might be passionate about the cause, it is impor tant that he or she cultivates the board's passion for the mission. This is essential to building shared direction and commitment with the board. Board members will be excited about the organisation's work and become more dedicated to the cause.

2. KNOW THE ORGANISATION Equipped with the passion for the mission, the chief executive must stay ahead of the game. He must understand the organisation from the inside-out its history, organisational culture, public perception and community context. This informed approach inspires conf idence, engages board

As Par t n er s Fo r Cau ses members and suppor ts the board in its role. The board members can offer the chief executive suppor t by offering access to their community connections and reflections based on their external perspectives.

3. CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS It is up to the chief executive to build habits and interactions that engage and involve the board in a constructive par tnership. The most impor tant relationship is that of the chief executive and the board chair.

4. INFORM AND COMMUNICATE The chief executive who treats knowledge as a critical intellectual asset. Prepare the board members for success by absorbing information, sharing it and activating the magic of real communication. Do not underestimate the impor tance of communications skills and behaviours.

5. FACILITATE A BALANCE IN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

up their end of the par tnership 6. STRUCTURE THE BOARD'S WORK When the chief executive continues to provide board members with an understanding of the organisation, its causes and the process for the board's activities, it is easier for the board members to be fully involved. The chief executive, in par tnership with the board chair, structures the board's work accordingly.

7. PLAN FOR TRANSITIONS Have a plan in place and resources to turn to when either the board chair or the chief executive position becomes vacant. This allows the organisation to keep the focus on the mission.

Being a constructive par tner to the board is conceivably the most critical role a chief executive plays. The chief executive's professional success and the success of the organisation in suppor ting the cause depends on a strong and effective par tnership.

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Jane du Boulay, Founder, Pawasol Ti Mamai, Saint Lucia

PAWASOL pour Ti Mamai, translated to Umbrella for Little Children, was the brainchild of Jane DuBoulay, a British-born woman who made her home in Saint Lucia decades ago. It began with her meeting a child in need and a donation of $5,000 from Cour ts (St.Lucia) Ltd as seed money.

For twenty years, with Jane at the helm, PAWASOL assisted numerous families in meeting school costs, medical, housing and other basic needs.

She and her friends who called themselves the 'A.W.F.U.L's (Association of Walking Females Usually Lunching) raised monies through flea markets, lunch functions, quizzes, Oscar par ties, walks, cookbook sales etc.

In 2019, she handed the baton to Dr Cenac.

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Interview with Jane du Boulay Founder, PAWASOL

Wil l you pr ovide an over view of your philanthr opic wor k and why you star ted PAWASOL?

Originally, I was on my own. Someone told me about a young lady who needed an eye operation and could not afford it so, I decided to do a little fundraiser. We called it "Oscar Night' where we all dressed up as Oscar personalities and we had it at Coco Palm Hotel, Rodney Bay. It was held on the Oscar night and, we had a screen that we put up for a f ilm. It was very well-attended and, we were for tunate enough to raise this money to have the operation for this girl who would have been blind if she had not had it. It was a very successful event. That is what motivated me into getting involved in more charitable work.

Shor tly after that, I met a young girl who suffered from 'dwarf ism' or stunted growth. She had never been to school. When I visited her at home - a little shack, I saw her sitting in a chair copying a note on a piece of paper with charcoal from the television. It was a tiny television.

Apparently, her father and mother who suffered from the same thing did not want her to go to school. I eventually persuaded them to let her go.

She was about 12 or 13 years and so we sent her to a special education school in St.Lucia for children who are a bit behind. She just blossomed from there.She did very well. Then she went on to the Seventh Day Academy. She is now studying for her 'A' Levels and now wants to be a Special Education teacher.

Is ther e an effective under standing of the issue of pover ty in St.Lucia?

I think that most people realise that there are some families who struggle to put food on the table, send kids to school and pay their bills. In these Covid times it can be par ticularly hard with persons losing their jobs as with other countries.

But I think that most people do realise that there is a need. There is always a need because there are some families where some parents are in jail or have addiction problems or don't have a job, especially now with the COVID, it is a very serious problem.

Obviously, many people are out of work especially those who do self-help projects, vendors etc. So it is a diff icult period.

There are a lot of organisations that help but they

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DOI NG GOOD Ph o t o s: Volunteers pose for a photo after a charity event (above left); Flea Market (above right) Grow Well recipients (inset), Little Girl Walking the Plank at Pirate and Easter Egg Hunt Fundraiser (bottom)

have the same problems of lack of funds, especially in COVID times when people just don't have the extra cash.

It is twenty year s since you star ted PAWASOL. What has contr ibuted to its success?

Well, I think I had a good team of ladies who helped. I think we had about 20 - 25 volunteers. Some were par t-time. Some would help when they could and when we did fundraisers. Without the team, we could not have achieved as much as we did.

Also, we never gave the monies to the parents but, to the doctor or hospital or the principal. Or we would buy the needed items. It was not just school books but lunches, fees, transpor tation, uniforms or summer camps.

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What chal l enges did you face?

Usual challenges of money. That is the problem with all of these associations.

We have people who are willing to give the time but do not always have the f inances.

So there is always a need and there will always be a need as in every other country.

What pr ompted you to hand over the r eins to a new team ear l ier this year ?

We just f igured that we had reached the point where we had run out of new ideas and wanted some fresh blood. Also, quite a few ladies on the team were foreigners and, we wanted to include more Saint Lucians. I do think we need to impress on Saint Lucians that it could be their brother, sister or cousin who needs help. We wanted it to be far more inclusive. We are getting on and, we had been doing it for several years. We just wanted new people, new ideas as me move fur ther into the new century.

Was it easy f inding peopl e to take over the hel m?

That is a good question!

COVID came in and, that has played a role. I am hoping that the committee will pull in new volunteers after COVID has hopefully passed us. But, it is not easy to get volunteers at these times.

How woul d you l ike to see Pawasol devel op over the next few year s?

I hope to see younger Saint Lucians involved on a bigger scale even if they do it on a par t-time basis. Just to show that they care.

No, it was pretty hard getting younger people involved. Unfor tunately, just as we resigned,

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Association of Wal king Femal es Usual ly Lunching (A.W.F.U.L) - Some Team members at a fundraiser

PAWASOL H i ghl i ghts 2004 - 2020 By 2020, PAWASOL had assisted 1,000 children and donated EC$880,000 (US$332,075) to individuals and organisations.

We share a couple of stories to highlight how PAWASOL's assistance changed the lives of two young St.Lucians.

(President's Note 2020)

MIA ROACHFORD Two-year old Mia Roachford was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye) by the Kids Insight Team - a team of volunteer paediatric eye specialists - who visited St.Lucia in 2003. There was no treatment for this blinding and life-threatening condition in Saint Lucia.

Email: pawasolpourtimamai@gmail.com

When Denise Godin of the Blind Welfare Association brought Mia's case to Jane DuBoulay's attention in 2004, she had already lost one eye.

Telephone: 1 758 519 1710

PAWASOL decided to help Mia get to

PAWASOL Pour Ti Mamai

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John Hopkins in Miami, Florida for surgery to save the other eye.

PAWASOL held a successful fundraiser called "Oscar Night" where ever yone dressed up as stars and arrived on the red carpet. That night, the sum of EC$10,000 was raised. That was PAWASOL's f irst fundraiser and Mia, its f irst benef iciary.

Mia spent one year in Florida where she had the surgery and received treatment. Today, Mia is cancer-free and doing well in Miami where she is attending college. She wants to become a pharmacist.

EVA JOSEPH Eva Joseph suffers from achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder which causes dwarf ism. Her father, suffering from the same disorder, was teased and bullied at school. To protect his daughter, he did not allow her to attend school. Her sister taught her basic English and Mathematics.

After much persuasion by Jane DuBoulay, he allowed her to go to the Educare Learning Centre, an institution for children with special needs. With PAWASOL's suppor t, she completed three years at that school achieving a 75% grade. She then went on to Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School where PAWASOL built special steps for her to reach the sink and toilet.

She maintained an excellent performance and was awarded a merit in 2013 and three trophies when she graduated. In 2015, she wrote the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) secondary school examinations. She did very well in f ive of her subjects but she failed Mathematics. It changed her perspective.

She wrote in a letter to Jane, that going to Educare, although an overwhelming experience, had taught her to be prepared for the challenges she would face in secondary school.

In her words, "I lost self-confidence and motivation. I began feeling inadequate, incompetent and depressed.

Fortunately for me, my sister believes in me and pushesme to do better. I have learnt that it is fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure, because it isthrough failure I have been strengthened. I began having extra Maths lessons and rewrote the exam with a passresult. I was overjoyed and elated but the real joy came when I received my acceptance letter from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and am presently pursuing an associate degree in Business Administration.

My aspiration in life is to obtain a bachelor's degree in Business Management and I would like to establish a centre for at-risk youth to instill discipline, respect, values and self-determination. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Jane Du Boulay and the ladies of PAWASOL for providing the financial assistance and moral support throughout the years. I am forever indebted to you."

Mia is engaged in a number of organisations including the Red Cross Society, Junior Achievement St.Lucia and Drug Free par ticipation.

KUDOS TO PAWASOL VOLUNTEERS PAWASOL began its charitable work in 2004 but did become a registered charity until 2007.

Although PAWASOL star ted out by providing medical assistance, it decided that it would focus on providing educational assistance to young people in the form of school books, uniforms, lunches, fees and transpor tation.

The medical costs were consuming all their funds so they capped it at EC$2,000 per medical request. They also set an age limit of eighteen.

Over the years, PAWASOL also assisted other charities such as the Blind Welfare Association, The Centre For Adolescent Renewal and Education (C.A.R.E), Dunnottar School, Child Development and Guidance Centre, Educare, Lady Gordon Centre, Grow Well, Massade School for Boys, Sickle Cell, Crisis Centre, The Barre St.Joseph Farmers Group and numerous individual causes around the island.

PAWASOL is run and managed by volunteers who organise fundraisers and, provide f inancial assistance, moral suppor t and administrative and other services.

Their unwavering commitment and dedication made PAWASOL a success.

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PAWASOL Charity Shop, Rodney Bay, Gros Islet, St.Lucia For two years, PAWASOL Pour Ti Mamai operated an annual pop-up charity shop at the Baywalk Mall, Rodney Bay, Gros Islet, in shop space donated by the management of Baywalk Mall The shop opened at Christmas time for one month.

In 2018, PAWASOL was able to construct and operate the charity shop in Rodney Bay. This was made possible with the donations made on GoFundMe and various fundraising activities. Some businesses offered their support including Sir Michael Chastanet who supplied the land, Mr. Atlanta Henry who constructed the building at a reduced price and Excel Signs who donated the signage. The shop was opened in July 2018.

PAWASOL sells donated items including clothing, shoes, jewellery, accessories and household goods.

Donations in good condition can be delivered to the shop during opening hours. PAWASOL is always looking for volunteers to help out in the shop.

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The A.W.F.U.L Philanthr opists

By Patricia Hackshaw The time has come for the volunteers who ran PAWASOL to retire. This very successful children's charity was run for 20 years by a group of energetic ladies who dedicated a great deal of their time to this very wor thy cause.

It was star ted in a very casual way by my very good friend Jane du Boulay. It evolved from a group of us who enjoyed walking. We called ourselves the A.W.F.U.L.s, (Association of Walking Females Usually Lunching). We did many many walks far and wide, even traveling to UK and Europe on four occasions.

It was soon realized that a more organized approach had to be taken. Meetings were held and a committee was formed with three ladies, Jane, Susan Allamby and Elizabeth Glace who were voted in to basically run the show. The rest of us volunteers were Santa's little elves as it were.

From here,in the year 2000, PAWASOL was born

and became an off icial registered charity in 2007.

Many activities were organised for fundraising and many donations were received from generous companies, hotels and caring individuals.

There were minor and major fundraiser events that kept the coffers flowing. We did everything from Tom Bolers, sponsored walks to major shows. Tickets sold out every time, especially for the yearly quiz at Razmataz Restaurant. The owner, Susan Wright and her staff all donated their time for this very successful annual event.

For all the events we ran everything was generously donated and all monies went to PAWASOL. More recently, Sir Michael Chastanet allowed PAWASOL to erect a small shop in the car park of one his proper ties at Rodney Bay. It opens every Friday. Once a month on Saturday from 6 am for a Flea Market and then the shop 'til noon. Many apanamagazine.com / DECEMBER

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DOI NG GOOD

items from kitchenware to ball gowns are donated. Items of clothing are often brand new with the label still on them. The little shop is well wor th a visit and it's fun.

It was so sad to see how some of these children had to be helped. Things that most of us would have taken for granted. We gave money for bus fare, school fees, school lunches, books and uniforms. Without our suppor t, they could not attend school. Unbelievable in this day and age!

Many children had serious medical issues. This usually meant they had to leave the island for treatment. I dread to think what would have happened to them if they hadn't been f inancially helped.

The most satisfying thing was when grateful children and parents sent in letters of thanks and appeared in person with big smiles on their faces.

They truly meant their gratitude from the bottom of their hear ts.

Arranging events was hard work but usually fun in the process and great feelings of satisfaction in the end.

The end of 2019 saw us retire and a new committee take over. During our time at PAWASOL, with the wonderful direction of the committee, 800 children were helped with medical and education and we raised just about $1 million.

Patr icia Hackshaw Patricia Hackshaw nee Entwistle came to Saint Lucia in 1966 with her family. Her father was employed by the Commonwealth Development Corporation to set up the new electricity system in Saint Lucia. Before that, they lived in Brazil, Nigeria and all the Windward Islands.

Apart from Brazil, she was at boarding school in the Lake District, in England, travelling to where the parents were for the long summer holidays.

"Very exciting for my brother and me, especially Nigeria, as we lived 120 miles into the bush from Lagos."

Saint Lucia was the last port of call for them. They arrived on the Federal Boast from Dominica.

"I remember my mother saying to me as we were waiting to disembark - 'This is your new destination''.

She soon met Jane duBoulay, nee Ludlam, and they

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became firm pals 'til this day.

"Both of us married here and had families, in my case three lovely sons, two of whom are twins. Through them, I have seven grandchildren. It is exhilarating to say the least. My husband and I set up a boat charter business, Captain Mike's, which has been very successful to this day. I think I can safely say, Saint Lucia is now my home."

A.W.F.U.L's Fi r st Wal k Poem by

Sue Allamby

Through Cap Estate, did Patti Hack A merry band of AWFULs lead; And this, the tale of that mad pack As through unknown, untrodden track They journeyed to the sea.

Patti told us of that hallowed morn, How beauteously the light had crept; She photos showed that we not scorn The magic of that tender dawn And we sat down and wept.

Their leader, guru, elf in guide, Was Patti of eccentric fame; Equipped with boots and rucksack wide.

She lead the stumbling, trusting side A merry, thirsty game.

The cause, not sentiment but need For food, for drink, for cooling sea, But ere our Guru let us feed, And though we did most piteously plead Another hike lead she.

Lin, Biddie, Ariadne, Jane, Were of the AWFUL sisterhood, Sue, Jackie, Joyce and Sue again Assembled too at Lin's domain With water, fruit and food.

Another mountain, stony ground, First up, then down with coastline view.

At last a hidden path was found To Secret Beach, no one around, Nir vana for us few.

Now Biddie with her big black tank The band of hikers drove away Not far - just to a shady bank By luck, not judgment to be frank, The right path for our day.

A shady spot, a glass of wine, A fallen tree rests weary feet The soothing sea when given time Restores our strength and we feel f ine So life to us is sweet

Up rutted hill, down Cactus Vale, Enchanting view of Donkey Beach, Cross lunar landscape, gully shale, Mountainous heights that we must scale A stunning view to reach

The boughs with sweaty clothes soon bloom The sea with merr y cries resounds, The food comes out and very soon White wine, fruit salad - with a spoon!

And Sue has pate handing round

We slipped, we skidded, we cursed dear Pat. While Lin, like mountain goat, did hop, Ariadne, Sue and Jane (in hat) Puffed, panted, sweated, ere we sat In glorious breeze on mountain top.

The homeward trek - again uphill Through Cas-en-Bas did pass, Like the Duracell bunny, going still 'Til Lin's home was reached at last.

No sooner there, than down again To Donkey beach we all must go And pay obeisance to the stain Where once the Pirate's tent had lain With dogs and Pat in tow.

Not much sense was talked at all As probably you can guess, But we agreed as we reached Lin's hall, On the ground in quivering heaps did fall, That this A.W.F.U.L walk is the best.

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AMANDA-JANE TANIC PAINTINGS Email: amandatanic@gmail.com