FDCC E-Newsletter



	MARCH 2012 ISSUE: "We humbly apologise for the initial mail-out of our E-Newsletter on Tuesday April 10^th 2012. We realised that there were some technical faults with the E-Newsletter and wish to thank all our supporters for their speedy feedback. We certainly hope you will enjoy this version and we do look forward to your usual feedback.” Dear Friends, We are pleased to share with you another issue of the FDCC E-Newsletter. We hope you’ll enjoy this issue and, as always, we look forward to hearing from you. We invite you to visit our “Learning Tools” section on our website. This section, also referred to as our “Parent Corner”, provides valuable information and resources for parents/caregivers and just about anyone who wants to learn more about the formative years of a child’s development! Please click on this link http://www.fdcchildren.org/index/learning-tools-and-materials.html to see how parents can interact with their child/children using online age appropriate games, view some informative videos on brain development and read exciting testimonials from parents/caregivers. Please send us your feedback to info@fdcchildren.org, we want to hear from you. Enjoy! News BVLF Trustees visit the Caribbean to promote support for the FDCC The newly-established Foundation for the Development of Caribbean Children (FDCC) recently hosted Trustees of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation (BVLF), one of the region’s major partners in the promotion of Early Childhood Development (ECD). Among the BVLF contingent were Rien Van Gendt, Trustee and a former Executive Director, Jacqueline Tammenoms-Bakker and Director of Communications, Leontien Peeters. The Netherlands-based Foundation was the major funding source of the Caribbean Child Support Initiative, started in 2002. In 2011, this programme transitioned to the FDCC, as the first indigenous Foundation focused on early childhood development (ECD). The FDCC is headed by Consultant Director, Susan Branker and chaired, by Dr Didacus Jules, head of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). During the five-day visit, the Trustees spent time in Barbados, Dominica and St Lucia, with the primary aim of promoting support for and investment in the FDCC. To this end, they met with officials of the Caribbean Development Bank, UNICEF, the management team of the Duty Free Caribbean Holdings Ltd in St Lucia and the newly-elected Prime Minister of St Lucia, Dr Kenny Anthony. While in St Lucia, the FDCC hosted a luncheon at the Sandals Resort during which Mr van Gendt used the opportunity to signal the social importance of investment in the region’s children, especially 0 - 6 years old and encouraged the private sector to partner with the FDCC. The Trustees also got the opportunity to visit communities where the FDCC’s flagship programme, the Roving Caregivers Programme (RCP) is implemented. The RCP was one of the major projects funded by the BVLF. During the field trips, the Trustees were able to observe some of the stimulation activities as well as to meet with parents, Rovers and the RCP staff. The RCP is implemented currently in Grenada, Dominica, St Vincent, St Lucia, Jamaica and Belize. The visit ran from February 19 to 23, 2012.
	St. Lucia's Governor General: "We cannot afford to neglect our children" St. Lucia’s Governor General, Her Excellency, Dame Dr. Calliopa Louisy has joined the call for “urgent and sustained support” for the Roving Caregivers Programme (RCP), coordinated by the Foundation for the Development of Caribbean Children (FDCC). Dame Dr. Louisy was speaking at a Gala Fund-Raising event at the Sandals Beach Resort and Spa in St Lucia, hosted by the FDCC and Sandals Resorts International. Calling on both the public and private sector to invest in the RCP, the Governor General said, “Our society cannot afford the cost of neglecting our children. Neglected children, particularly those raised in disadvantaged environments are less likely to succeed in school and in economic and social life”. She reminded the guests that because children are the future, the inculcation of the social and moral values that will guide and direct that future should begin at birth and continue well into the early years of life. As a result, the Governor General extended her full support for the 10 year-old RCP project which provides early childhood development services to children 0 - 3 years old in disadvantaged households across the region. Currently, the programme is implemented in Grenada, Dominica, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Belize. The GG commended the RCP approach because it ensures the involvement of parents and primary caregivers. She explained, “Most early childhood development programmes take the child away from the home environment, and exclude the parent(s) or caregivers…But the RCP involves local residents in the delivery of the programme, goes into the home to engage in child stimulation activities alongside parents and caregivers, teaches parenting skills, and even sometimes offers income-generating support for those parents and caregivers.” The Fund Raising event took place on March 3, 2012.
	St. Lucia's Private Sector encouraged to give back to the Community St. Lucia’s private sector is being encouraged “to spend private money for the public good”. This from, Rien van Gendt, the former Executive Director of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation (BVLF) based in the Netherlands. Mr van Gendt was speaking on “The Importance of Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility in Moving the Development Agenda Forward”, at a luncheon at the Sandals La Toc Golf Resort and Spa in St. Lucia. The event brought together a wide range of businesses and private individuals in order to introduce the Foundation for the Development of Caribbean Children, the region’s first indigenous Foundation focussed on Early Childhood Development (ECD). The FDCC, which was launched in 2011, represents a transition from the Caribbean Child Support Initiative, which was primarily funded by the BVLF. Mr. van Gendt explained, his Foundation is committed in the long run to the sustainability of projects. He explains, “Sustainability for the BVLF does not mean that we will stay around with a programme or a region for ever…. Sustainability is achieved when indigenous resources, whether public or private, can be mobilised to further the social and economic development.” As a result, Mr. Van Gendt used the opportunity to encourage St. Lucia’s corporate sector to partner with and invest in the FDCC and the whole area of Early Childhood Development. He explains, “Longitudinal research all over the world demonstrates how important money spent on the 0-6 year old kids is. It pays off later in their life in terms of less remedial teaching, lower drop-outs, a smoother transition to secondary schools, less teenage pregnancy and lower youth delinquency.” While commending the governments of St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Dominica and Grenada for including the ECD programme in their national policies, Mr. van Gendt challenged the private sector and citizens to play their part via philanthropic activities. He cited that there has been an impressive growth of corporate philanthropy since 1990, not just in Europe and the US, but across many developing nations. He noted that while fiscal incentives can be put in place to facilitate private giving, it should not be the prime motivation..“ it is motivated by enlightened self interest… I hope that you look upon this as an opportunity to contribute and invest in your community, a community that you also need in order to flourish as a company”. This event took place on February 21, 2012.