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The Amarone Charitable Trust was established in 2014 with the aim to find solutions and provide assistance for needs that weren’t being met in the global community, with a specific focus on Barbados---
Dear Donor,
The following photos are young people attending Mathematics and English CXC classes sponsored by Peter Moore (Barbados) Trust in St Lucy. Some students are not in class today and some may have come in after classes has started. All these young people free of cost will be trained to pass the CXC examination in January 2023. Helping to move young people from mere existence to purpose.
Dear Donors, Supporter, Friends,
Please find attached a video showcasing our upcoming fundraising initiative at the back of the building Sandy Lane Charitable Trust purchased for our use. The car wash is a significant step towards achieving self-sufficiency and sustainability for our organization.
Additionally, this endeavor will not only offer valuable experience in the automotive industry to our unemployed clients but also create employment opportunities for them. Moreover, the funds generated from this initiative will contribute to compensating our counseling staff, allowing us to continue providing vital counseling services to the many young people referred to our organization.
While it may take some time for this funding to become substantial, we firmly believe that in the not-too-distant future, we will witness significant financial support that can be allocated towards compensating our counselors. This will ensure the sustainability of our counseling services and enable us to make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.
These videos and pictures capture our initial practice sessions where we washed the cars of a visitor to our office and a student’s car from our Second Chance Lessons program. We have also received a testimonial to assist us in our promotional efforts. Our plan is to commence the car washing service on October 2, 2023. We will be open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Saturdays will be reserved for our younger clients, providing them with an opportunity to earn extra income for their families by washing cars from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
I want to thank all of you for making this a reality for us and we will endeavor to continue to move young people from mere existence to purpose.
Roger Husbands
Chairman/Director
Drug Education & Counselling Services
Youth Empowered & Alive
#82 Roebuck Street
Bridgetown
Tel: (246) 435-8148
Email: [email protected]
Director’s Cell: (246) 233-8148
The Schoolhouse for Special Needs Inc. (The Schoolhouse) was first established in 2006 with a modest group of students operating from the residence of its Founder, Yasmin Vlahakis. In 2008, it was officially registered with the local regulatory board, The Ministry of Education, and successfully received their endorsement on September 2nd, 2008. The Schoolhouse had many transitions and with the support of The Rotary Club of Barbados, The Schoolhouse is now located at Britton Court in St. Michael on a serene and spacious property…a perfect learning environment.
At the helm of The Schoolhouse is Yasmin Vlahakis who was first educated at St. Gabriels School-Barbados. After graduation, she enrolled at Chiltern Nursery College-Reading, England. Upon successful completion Yasmin relocated to Zimbabwe and began her teaching career at St. Giles Medical Rehabilitation Centre. This post opened her love and appreciation for children with special needs. Later, when she returned to Barbados she established Little People Preschool and ultimately joined the staff at St. Angelas School to oversee their primary school special needs program. After ten successful years, she branched out on her own with The Schoolhouse. Yasmin is now supported by seven qualified, caring and dedicated teachers whose sole purpose is to advance those under their care using the tools with which they have been equipped so that they will become contributing members of the society.
The Schoolhouse is not just another academic institution, it is a sanctuary away from home ensuring a safe, secure, nurturing and stimulating environment within which individuals with special needs can learn, flourish and develop their self-independence. Financially, each of the students come from households that can be classified as indigent, yet, The Schoolhouse encourages this category of parent to make a practical contribution towards their childs education and overall development.
The trust supports the continuing efforts of the Fishers of Men Charity, which was founded and is lead by Sharon Bellamy. The following is a description of the Fishers of Men Charity, its history and its objectives as written by Sharon.
There’s great need in the nation of Barbados. When you walk the streets daily you can see the need, the lack, those that are hungry and in some cases some persons have not put themselves in these situations. Unfortunate breaks with housing, fires, family members etc. Since the recession the need in Barbados has grown rapidly and continues to do so. In spite of this my objective is to see the least fortunate taken care of. From the time I have known myself this has been my passion, burden and deepest desire, and more so consistently over the last 12 years.
I have worked tirelessly and without fail, out of my own pocket for 9 of these 12 years feeding the least fortunate breakfast, lunch and dinner. Helping with bills, groceries, school supplies and in any way I possibly could. Waking up at 4am every morning until my story was featured in the newspapers some 3 years ago and some concerned persons with kindred hearts offered their assistance via giving foodstuff, for this measure of kindness I am forever grateful!
The main goal
The main goal of this charity, “Fishers Of Men”, is to make a difference in the lives of these children who are the future of this nation and the next generation. I strongly believe every child deserves a chance. They never asked to be born but they are here. Fishers Of Men intends to ensure such things like food, clothing and care etc. Which many people within in society overlook and have become common placed to them, though this is not a privilege that is not afforded to many of the least fortunate to overlook, we intend and purpose that the children will have such things we take for granted because every child deserves a fair chance. My love for the children has grown and continues to grow, they are precious gems.
My main focus for these children is to see them have a good education, a good life and to have it embedded within their hearts and etched across their minds that people care about them. In addition to this, to cement this, in going forward to secure our nation’s future and the generation of tomorrow. My intention is not to be a part of the system of things, “that drops all at the age of permission, age 18 to fend for themselves”, but to cultivate model citizens fostering them through good educational initiatives preparing them for life. I personally want to see them advanced in college, the University of the West Indies and to accomplish their goals. We endeavour during the summer camp to further their education, giving them knowledge of spirituality, as well as academic studies, teaching self-worth and self-respect. I truly know and believe education is a key to life, that being the case my desire is to offer this camp free of cost, taking them on tours, site trips etc.
Only within the last year because of the feature in the newspaper, I have received recognition from a, “Trust”, whom offered a six month grocery provision, which is at its end. For this I am again forever grateful, as are the children, least fortunate people and the elderly that have benefited by it through this charity. Though helpful, however the work load currently exceeds the closing of this six month food provision, as I have to purchase school clothes, books, sponsor haircuts, give clothing for special outings, buy snacks and out of my earnings as a fish vendor, being dependant on the season and fish sales it is not easy, but I have purposed regardless to carry out this work as best I can. This charity as stated gives out breakfast and lunch etc. every day and the number of persons I attend to is growing rapidly and it is done each day by me out of pocket. My current number of attendees is 40 persons, thereabout and the number is growing.
Finally I take the children to outings 4 times yearly at different venues across the nation such as the Hilton hotel, cruises and fun days. I am inviting you to be a part of the process of impacting the lives of these children for the better, in supporting this charity yearly or and by supporting our annual events by donating food stuff, finance or resources needed of any kind for these occasions, or and the Fishers of men‘s initiatives for the this year and for the years set before us. We invite you to leave and indelible mark on the generation and to impact our future.
As a follow up to 2021 annual report, please see the update on the St. Lucy Project:
Drug Education & Counselling Services has embarked on a community project in the parish of St. Lucy to provide to the residence of St. Lucy, St. Peter, and St. Andrew our various counselling and educational services offered. Reverend Bannister who is the Priest at St. Swithun’s Anglican Church, in Greenidges, St.Lucy and a Magistrate has generously without payment, offer to DECS the opportunity to use the upstairs of the old school building to provide these services. The Honorable Peter Phillips representative of St. Lucy is very excited and keen on having our program being setup in his constituency, we will be having a meeting with him for further partnership.
Tomorrow Saturday 12th March 2022, we will be completing the painting on the inside of the building with the assistance of 10 clients and 8 students from the Trowel Plastics and Painting course. I am very excited about this project and will send you photos of the completed work in my next update. We have already collected names of young people under the age of 16 years old who want to be a part of one of our programs whether counselling, youth club or educational.
This building inside will have an administration area, one counselling room which will also be used as Director’s office, waiting area, small barbering and cosmetology area and a classroom to accommodate at least 15 chairs and tables. On the outside, we have space for the skills classes including mason, carpentry, tiling, air condition installation, etc.
The Amarone Charitable Trust was established in 2014 with the aim to find solutions and provide assistance for needs that weren’t being met in the global community, with a specific focus on Barbados.
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