The
Baby Survival Kite Foundation (BSK) is a self generated non-profit Foundation,
designed to spring into action in the event of an emergency to help very
fragile infants who are generally an under represented group in such situations.
The idea was developed as a response to the wake left by hurricane Ivan
on September 7th where our neighbor Grenada was devastated.
The initial setting up and implementation of the idea,
as a professional organization to handle large-scale operation and the
fundraising poster campaign, has been a personal volunteer effort by the
founder Ms. Melanie Bishop, who worked tirelessly to implement it with
the help of volunteers.
The
idea behind the ‘Baby Survival Kit Foundation’ (BSK) is that
donated items such as clothing and linens, coupled with wholesale food
items are well organized before they are sent to the disaster area, so
that distribution will be easy, direct, and fair. This system allows maximum
efficiency for both donated items and funds to stretch to more infants
and hopefully can even ensure a long term care program if it can be supplemented
by some larger emergency organization.
The primary objective of this Foundation is to support
the supply of kits to mothers of infants in disaster areas by:
• Integrating the ‘Baby Survival Kit Program’
with other groups or organizations already working in or with the disaster
areas.
• Raising awareness to the general public through fundraising initiatives.
• Redirecting funds for the BSK’s to be produced and distributed
to disaster regions in the world where emergency relief supplies of this
nature are needed.
United Caribbean Youth Mitigation Program - Guyana
BSK Foundation has supplied a ‘Tool Kit’ for
this purpose containing a project guide, product information, Logo and
label, personalized poster for photocopying, letter of understanding plus
a sample kit for demo purposes.
United Caribbean Trust will provide a web pages to give internet exposure
to the numerous groups and associations willing to participate in this
project. Seen here Mrs Cholmondeley, at her home, following a presentatin
of the Baby Survival Kits project, with her colleagues from Women Reaching
Out.
UCT aims to enable participants to discover the roles
that other faith based organisations can play together in mitigation activities,
determine possible mitigation projects in which they might engage and
better understand ways that emergency managers can work together towards
a united Caribbean.
UCT as the Caribbean distribution arm for the ‘Baby
Survival Kit Foundation’ therefore extends this appeal to other
NGO’, local churches, community health centres and educational venues
for support, advice, distribution and documentation. Training and empowerment
are vital at this time in preparation for International sponsorship and
grant money availability. At this time of our Nations history we focus
on a united Caribbean.
|
A meeting between Jenny and Donette Franco
a teacher led to a meeting with the Principle of Saint
Sanislaus College. This resulted in a positive response to the
notion of school twinning with Harrisons College and utilising the
students hands of help to incorporate the Baby Survival Kit
project into Guyana. |
Resulting in an urgent meeting with Mr. Marcel
Hudson, District Education Officer and Mr. Hector Patterson Special
Adviser to the Minister of Education.
A proposal was put to the Minister of Education
and it is hoped to proceed with this venture with haste. |
|
A delightful lunch meeting with Genevieve Lucus the mother
of David Roberts, the Marketing consultant, from the Caribbean Development
Trust in London inspired us to seek assistance from the Roman Catholic
church. Mrs Lucus a devout Roman Catholic encouraged us to meet with the
Roman Catholic Bishop of Georgetown.
Dr. Ken Khan of Barbados recommended a meeting with Mr.
Raymond Shaw, Technical Director of Communications Inc who arranged the
meeting with the Bishop on our behalf. His Excellency Francis Alleyne
OSB was very encouraging and supportive of the concept of the Baby Survival
Kits and encouraged a meeting with Mrs Elaine Thomas of the Family Life
Commission. The concept of a Caribbean hub being created in Guyana for
the collection of baby cloths and items needed for the kit that would
be stored and sorted by the churches and the students of the Marian Academy
prompted a meeting with Sister Barbara an Urceline nun.
This
meeting was staged at the St Joseph convent and Mr. Patrick McAndrew from
the GCIFR was present. He is an ex Marian Academy student and prepared
to train the student in disaster mitigation and incorporating the Baby
Survival Kit into the Academy following permission by Sister Marie who
will be returning from her sabbatical shortly.
A meeting was held with the Secretary and Treasurer of
the Alicia Foundation Ms. Josephine Whitehead where the possibility of
the Alicia Foundation handling the funding and wholesale purchase of the
hardware for the Baby Survival Kits was approached.
It is our intention to set up a Caribbean hub outside
of the hurricane belt in Trinidad and Guyana to stock pile the products
for the creation of the Baby Survival Kits, UCT is burdened to be prepared
for the next hurricane season. Your assistance is requested in this venture. |