How we help the children
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Recreation
We are in the process of building community playgrounds so that children may play together, and develop physical strength and agility while having fun. We also collect games, puzzles, and books. If you are traveling to Grenada soon, please look for us on Stuff Your RuckSack to help us minimize the cost of shipping these items by filling a back pack or suitcase to bring with you!
We also provide musical instruments and books to children in schools in rural Grenada so that more children can experience the joy of learning to play a musical instrument and reading. Recently, we shipped over 100 musical recorders to supply to fourteen primary schools in rural Grenada.
Education
REACH Grenada aims to help raise the standards in primary schools, particularly in the areas of reading and writing skills for children aged 4-11. Over the next five years, REACH Grenada aims to enhance curriculum content and delivery in all of the nation's primary schools, reaching over 5,000 children. REACH Grenada will work alongside government and in partnership with local primary schools by providing children's educational resources including curriculum and story books, computers and teacher training. Approximately 4,000 books have been shipped to Grenada since August 2008 and in December 2008 and 2009, REACH Grenada delivered literacy training to teachers from the parish of St. Andrews. See news section for updates. REACH Grenada believes in empowering individuals through the provision of expert training and resources. We recently purchased from a local supplier brand new lap top computers and printers along with a years supply of paper and ink that have now been successfully installed in eighteen of St. Andrew primary and secondary schools. As well as giving a boost to the local economy, this generous donation improves the provision of quality computer equipment and it is hoped to encourage open dialogue between teachers to share successful teaching and learning strategies across schools. Our goal is to provide continued support to schools so that the positive changes are sustainable. We will achielve this by providing a yearly supply of ink cartridges and printing paper, sourced locally to support the economy.
Agriculture
Working in collaboration with the Government of Grenada’s Ministry of Education, REACH Grenada has provided funding to develop chicken projects and short crop growing to help support Grenada’s National School Feeding Program.
This project educates Grenada's children in the importance of food security and agricultural sustainability through the provision of expertise and resources rather than providing quick fixes. The funding for the chickens and seeds required to kick-start this project was relatively minor and the annual budget required to sustain the initiative is also manageable, therefore we're able to make a meaningful impact with minimal resources. Ongoing costs for the program include the provision of gardening tools, seeds (e.g. tomatoes, sweet corn, lettuce, grow frames), fertilizer and additional chicken broilers!
Community
Our philosophy is that all children should be given equal opportunity to learn and grow. With limited time and resources it is difficult to determine which children are most in need; however, we do know that the children who are currently being cared for in Grenada's orphanages and homes for the abused and abandoned are at the top of the list.We intend to support these children by providing psycho-social counseling and yoga and meditation to improve their ability to cope, resiliency and self-regulation. For the care workers who contribute to the children's environment, we will provide training modules that focus on child development to promote prosocial behavior, and guidance in relaxation, breathing and meditation to reduce stress and increase calmness.
Additionally, through our ongoing Voluntourism trips, we aim to beautify the environment of institutional homes to inspire, calm and motivate the children, and share the gift of service with friends and families.
Health
Beginning in 2009 and in partnership with the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF) of St. George's University in Grenada, REACH Grenada administered a health care program centering on health promotion and the reduction of childhood infectious diseases. We successfully reducee the incidence of intestinal worms (Helminth infection) and Streptococcal infection (related to Rheumatic fever) in children on the island. Intestinal worms are easily transmitted and can severely damage a child's general health as well as cognitive function due to depleted levels of nutrition, in particular, iron deficiency. This condition, as well as Rheumatic fever, lead to unnecessary yet preventable school absences.
