Project launched at Princess Margaret Secondary School

Healing Waters International Ministries (HWIM) through its new project is encouraging youth to look to a cleaner, greener future.

Yesterday at Princess Margaret Secondary School, HWIM, grantee of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) implemented by UNDP, formally launched ‘Go Green Teens!’

The project, which was approved in October 2019, seeks to bring awareness to teenagers across the island, educating them about organic-based products and their benefits to health and wellness, as well as develop CVQ training for the production of organic based personal care products and; train, certify and intern young persons on how to manufacture, market and distribute both male and female organic self-care products. Several of the products are made from Sargassum Seaweed extract.

“This project seeks to empower the youth of the nation to go green. Not only go green in terms of using organic products, but also in terms of living healthy and building self-esteem,” Dr. Angela Moore, President of Healing Waters International Ministries told the media.

“We are trying to actually replace the chemical substance that students use in the homes – we make natural deodorants, tooth gel, acne scar removers... Everything a child would use in their home, we are attempting to replace them with organic products, so that they can have a healthier life.

“It is not just about the students using the products, we will hold classes to teach them how to make them and retail them. So, we are also trying to promote entrepreneurship in the school, so the students can make their own pocket money – making them more independent,” said Dr. Moore, who is a former student of Princess Margaret.

Commending the project, National Co-ordinator, GEF SGP UNDP, David Bynoe expressed, “We are extremely proud because it aligns very carefully to our new strategic initiative on the blue economy. Barbados is seeking to develop the blue economy and UNDP is a very strong partner in facilitating that.”

“In addition, we recognise that the youth are going to play an integral role in terms of Barbados’ economic development. If you look at the statistics in 2018 – we had a youth unemployment rate of just over 27 per cent, which means about over one in every four youth, when they graduate, whether from secondary or tertiary education, they are unemployed.”

“This initiative presents a great opportunity for them to be gainfully employed, if they can’t find a job directly in the job market, this provides an opportunity for them to create their own. This is the mentality that we have to adopt. It is not always about going out there asking for a job, but having the ability and skills to create your own employment. We believe the blue economy provides this new opportunity for additional jobs and this is an area we are going to push,” Bynoe said. (TL)