Committed service to society's needy
Dublin Core
Title
Committed service to society's needy
Subject
Women
Charities--Societies
Description
Women In Action For the Needy and Destitute receive The Medal For the Development of Women (Gold)
Creator
Angela Pidduck
Publisher
Daily News Limited
Date
2014-09-18
Format
PDF
600dpi
Type
Text
Image
Still Image
Coverage
Trinidad and Tobago
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
NEWSDAY SECTION B Thursday September 18, 2014 Page 3 COMMENDATION Committed service to society's needy.
STILL basking in the glow of having received The Medal for the Development of Women (Gold) for community service, at the National Independence Award Ceremony on August 31, the Women In Action For the Needy And Destitute (WAND), is expressing deep appreciation for this award, which was first given in the year 2011.
Mona Khan, president of the small group of ten women, who accepted the award on their behalf from President Anthony Carmona, reflected that "WAND subscribes to the view expressed by Anthropologist Margaret Mead: Never underestimate the ability of a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Khan, and her team, secretary Allison Harford, treasurer Michal Andrews, public relations officer Gloria Nelson; and directors Jan Ryan, Anna Bonnin, Penny Elias, Wendy Voss, Nicole Galt and Karen Lee Lum, are deeply humbled by this recognition, which acknowledges the efforts, passion, dedication and commitment WAND members continuously devote to serving communities that are in need.
"Over the 15 years of its existence, WAND has been blessed with many loyal donors, supporters and contributors, with whom we are pleased to share this award. We thank our donors for their continued support as we try to make a difference in our country."
Last Tuesday members shared with Newsday, the numerous projects which the non-profit, registered, charitable organisation founded in 1998, had successfully completed over the years, starting with financial contributions to individuals for medical needs, materials for simple house construction and other urgent needs.
The first major project, the equipping of the All In One Child Development Centre in Beetham, Port-of-Spain, was followed by the building and equipping of a vocational training centre in La Brea, attached to a home for battered and abused women and children; and the construction and equipping of a vocational school for over 100 displaced/challenged youth in Tunapuna, at a cost of just under $2 million.
In 2007, recognising the need for a residential drug rehabilitation centre catering exclusively to women, the WAND Centre I was built on three acres of land leased from Palo Seco Agricultural Estates Limited, and is today run by New Life Ministries. At the Coora Camp property in south Trinidad, consisting of four buildings on nine acres of land, donated to WAND in 2010, the group has been able to provide New Life Ministries with a transition home for residents of the Palo Seco centre and use another as a home for the elderly. A retreat centre will be launched at the camp later this year.
During 2013 and into 2014 the group chose to focus on vulnerable children, and assistance was given to the Patna Police Youth Group in Diego Martin, where, in addition to totally outfitting a kitchen, WAND provided shelving for a library, books, recorders, a computer room complete with computers and printer, and literacy classes by two of its members weekly. While at the Couva Children's Home and Crisis Nursery, (CCHN), WAND contributed to the construction of the music room, supplied all the musical equipment and paid for transportation and tuition for the children learning to play the national instrument, so that these youngsters are now playing pan and reading music from score sheets. Another WAND effort was the contribution to the well being of the children of St Barb's, Laventille, and environs, partnering with parish priest of Gonzales and chairman of the Morris Marshall Development Foundation, Father Clyde Harvey. Thirty children were accommodated last July and August in a holiday camp aimed at developing leadership skills. The camp provided a programme of education, excitement, fun and positive experiences. Help is needed from the business community to continue this programme, especially for the refurbishing of a homework centre.
Having recently learned of the plight of 40-year-old paraplegic and human resource graduate of Florida International University, Kerensa Joshua, who has been wheelchair bound after an accident on September 30, 2007, WAND visited the Diego Martin resident, whose sole caregiver is her brother, Anton. Struggling just to survive on Public Assistance of $850 monthly, with a pay-out of $723 a month in diapers alone, Joshua, maintains her sense of humour, telling the group, "So...yup no real money to my name."
In order to raise funds to finance its worthy causes, WAND hosts a number of events. Its main fund-raiser is its annual Christmas luncheon, which will be held on October 31 at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of Spain.
STILL basking in the glow of having received The Medal for the Development of Women (Gold) for community service, at the National Independence Award Ceremony on August 31, the Women In Action For the Needy And Destitute (WAND), is expressing deep appreciation for this award, which was first given in the year 2011.
Mona Khan, president of the small group of ten women, who accepted the award on their behalf from President Anthony Carmona, reflected that "WAND subscribes to the view expressed by Anthropologist Margaret Mead: Never underestimate the ability of a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Khan, and her team, secretary Allison Harford, treasurer Michal Andrews, public relations officer Gloria Nelson; and directors Jan Ryan, Anna Bonnin, Penny Elias, Wendy Voss, Nicole Galt and Karen Lee Lum, are deeply humbled by this recognition, which acknowledges the efforts, passion, dedication and commitment WAND members continuously devote to serving communities that are in need.
"Over the 15 years of its existence, WAND has been blessed with many loyal donors, supporters and contributors, with whom we are pleased to share this award. We thank our donors for their continued support as we try to make a difference in our country."
Last Tuesday members shared with Newsday, the numerous projects which the non-profit, registered, charitable organisation founded in 1998, had successfully completed over the years, starting with financial contributions to individuals for medical needs, materials for simple house construction and other urgent needs.
The first major project, the equipping of the All In One Child Development Centre in Beetham, Port-of-Spain, was followed by the building and equipping of a vocational training centre in La Brea, attached to a home for battered and abused women and children; and the construction and equipping of a vocational school for over 100 displaced/challenged youth in Tunapuna, at a cost of just under $2 million.
In 2007, recognising the need for a residential drug rehabilitation centre catering exclusively to women, the WAND Centre I was built on three acres of land leased from Palo Seco Agricultural Estates Limited, and is today run by New Life Ministries. At the Coora Camp property in south Trinidad, consisting of four buildings on nine acres of land, donated to WAND in 2010, the group has been able to provide New Life Ministries with a transition home for residents of the Palo Seco centre and use another as a home for the elderly. A retreat centre will be launched at the camp later this year.
During 2013 and into 2014 the group chose to focus on vulnerable children, and assistance was given to the Patna Police Youth Group in Diego Martin, where, in addition to totally outfitting a kitchen, WAND provided shelving for a library, books, recorders, a computer room complete with computers and printer, and literacy classes by two of its members weekly. While at the Couva Children's Home and Crisis Nursery, (CCHN), WAND contributed to the construction of the music room, supplied all the musical equipment and paid for transportation and tuition for the children learning to play the national instrument, so that these youngsters are now playing pan and reading music from score sheets. Another WAND effort was the contribution to the well being of the children of St Barb's, Laventille, and environs, partnering with parish priest of Gonzales and chairman of the Morris Marshall Development Foundation, Father Clyde Harvey. Thirty children were accommodated last July and August in a holiday camp aimed at developing leadership skills. The camp provided a programme of education, excitement, fun and positive experiences. Help is needed from the business community to continue this programme, especially for the refurbishing of a homework centre.
Having recently learned of the plight of 40-year-old paraplegic and human resource graduate of Florida International University, Kerensa Joshua, who has been wheelchair bound after an accident on September 30, 2007, WAND visited the Diego Martin resident, whose sole caregiver is her brother, Anton. Struggling just to survive on Public Assistance of $850 monthly, with a pay-out of $723 a month in diapers alone, Joshua, maintains her sense of humour, telling the group, "So...yup no real money to my name."
In order to raise funds to finance its worthy causes, WAND hosts a number of events. Its main fund-raiser is its annual Christmas luncheon, which will be held on October 31 at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of Spain.
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Citation
Angela Pidduck, “Committed service to society's needy,” Angela Pidduck's Writings, accessed May 4, 2024, https://angelapidduck.omeka.net/items/show/65.