GRENADA – WEST INDIES

Background & Challenges

Grenada, West Indies, is an independent island country in the Caribbean Sea which is affectionately known as the 'spice isle' on account of its numerous nutmeg, cinnamon and mace plantations. With a population of around 115,000, the island has a rich history and one of considerable political significance; quite apart from its colonial heritage, Grenada continued to occupy a highly strategic position on the world stage even after being granted independence in 1974.

The island forged close links with so-called Communist countries, including Cuba and Nicaragua, which prompted an American invasion in 1983 on the instruction of Ronald Reagan, claiming that the then Soviet Union would use Grenada as a refuelling stop for weaponised aircraft destined for South American insurgents!

Unsurprisingly, tourism remains the mainstay of Grenada's economy, although the export of spices, fruit, vegetables and cocoa is also significant. Elected in June 2022, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell is pro-actively modernising the country and improving its international reputation on the world stage with tackling discrimination, improving women's rights and reducing unemployment high on his agenda. These challenges are not dissimilar to many islands in the Caribbean, and considerable efforts are being made to provide better lives for Grenadians, who have a reputation for being some of the friendliest people on earth.

BE11A JS Foundation's Contribution

Returning to the island of his forefathers, the Founder of the BE11A JS Foundation was clearly both inspired and moved by reigniting his family's historical lineage and cultural roots with Grenada, West Indies. The trip represented something of a personal pilgrimage which inspired a heartfelt desire to use the Foundation as a vehicle to help alleviate some of the island's social challenges.

Perhaps due to the island's economic instabilities and high unemployment figures, Grenada has a disproportionately high level of single-parent families, leaving many children without a stable background. Despite the considerable efforts of single mothers and others, many are placed in children's homes as a last resort, with the organisations that run them left to raise the necessary funds to maintain their vital services.

One such organisation, the Bel Air Home for Children and Adolescents, opened in 1999 and currently looks after boys and girls up to the age of eleven, after which it caters for just girls. Nineteen children currently benefit from the wonderful endeavours of the staff, who provide a safe place to grow up whilst receiving educational development and social activities to ensure a rounded upbringing.

This 'not-for-profit' organisation relies on benefactors to continue its pioneering work, and the Foundation is delighted to join this list of patrons. Following discussions with the Board, the BE11A JS Foundation has pledged a six-figure US-dollar contribution to Bel Air over the next three years, in addition to providing additional support and resources where appropriate. This most poignant of projects typifies the pioneering work of the Foundation and, indeed, its motivations.

www.belairchildrenshome.com

Project Update – February 2023

The Founders are returning to Grenada in July 2023 to access the progress of the Bel Air Home for Children and Adolescents project to which the Foundation donated last year. Another potential development is under discussion with the Prime Minister’s office regarding the island’s lack of a public library since the original space was decimated during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Although at an embryonic stage, it is hoped that other organisations with join the Foundation in helping build a new public facility in the not-too-distant future.