Grant aids Crisis Centre’s violence-prevention programme
Ania Milanowska-Sedgley (third from left) and Nancy Davey of CICC flank Rayle Roberts of the ESRF as he presents cheque with board members (L-R) Lise Hurlstone, Natasha Wellfare, Deborah Barker Roye and Jana Pouchie-Bush
(CNS): The Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation (ESRF) has awarded its 2015 grant for CI$10,000 to the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre (CICC). This marks the second year for the ESRF grant programme, whose objective is to fund projects that contribute to achieving the foundation’s vision of ‘gender equality and a life free of violence for all’.
A record number of applications were submitted from a wide range of organisations, demonstrating the increasing need for funding to deal with issues of gender and violence.
The Crisis Centre will be using the funds to develop and launch its Primary Prevention/Education Programme (PPEP) to be delivered to local youth. The PPEP seeks to intervene initially with children and youth to provide learning resources and presentations regarding gender-based violence. The programme aims to help identify the warning signs for the potential of relationship violence for adolescents and youth, to prevent at-risk situations from escalating.
Topics will be tailored specifically for each age group to have the greatest impact.
ESRF chairmain Rayle Roberts spoke of the new programme. “CICC’s PPEP programming provides a foundational platform for the prevention of violence in our homes and communities, as well as the matter of childhood sexual abuse, which is becoming an ever-increasing concern as outlined in the results of the PAHO (Pan-American Health Organisation) study released earlier this year,” he said.
The PAHO report, which was released in May, revealed that one in five girls in Cayman has been sexually abused, while one in six children has been physically assaulted by an adult. This data is consistent with the high levels of sexual and physical violence against children across the Caribbean, the researchers said.
“The Crisis Centre’s Primary Prevention/Education Programme will play a critical role in engaging, educating and empowering children and youth to build their lives and future communities free from domestic violence,” said CICC executive director Ania Milanowska-Sedgley.
“We are very grateful to the Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation for recognising the need of providing our future generations with knowledge about healthy relationships, and awarding us the 2015 grant.”
The late Estella Scott-Roberts, longtime advocate for survivors of gender-based violence, was the first director of the Crisis Centre and played an integral role in its establishment in 2003.
Roberts added, “On behalf of the entire ESRF board, I give my sincerest congratulations to the Crisis Centre on designing an excellent programme.”
The next ESRF grant cycle is expected to start in early 2016.
Community organisations sharing the objectives of the ESRF can email the foundation about future grant opportunities.
