The YWCA of Barbados, Registered Charity No: 470, was founded in 1950 and is membership is made up of a wide cross-section of girls and women from varying social and professional backgrounds. The organisation currently manages the Breakfast Club for children in its catchment area in the Deacons Farm community, St. Michael where the headquarters of the YWCA is located. It is considered to be “disadvantaged” given the low levels of income and high-levels of single-parent households, unemployment and social dislocation experienced in the community. It is known that there are many children in Barbados who leave home without having breakfast, the most important meal of the day. This is due to the fact that they may come from a less privileged background or that their parents are not in a position to provide this basic meal. When a child fails to get sufficient dietary energy, particularly in the mornings, he/she becomes less attentive in the classroom because his/her brain does not have the fuel which would allow them to concentrate or pay attention to their studies.
Project Summary
Over the next three years, the YWCA will benefit from funding from The Maria Holder Memorial Trust for its Breakfast programme to ensure that approximately one hundred and fifty five (155) children will be provided with the most important meal of the day resulting in them being fed a nutritional and balanced meal. This will also result in less disruptive behavior and increased alertness in school during lesson time.