Fund Emergency Housing for Girls in Barbados

This past quarter, we have witnessed a deepening of the challenges many of our girls and their families face, but we have also witnessed extraordinary resilience and the power of community care.

1. Weathering the Storms — Literally

Some of our mentees continue to carry the long-term burden of past climate disasters, as well as some very recent bad weather impact.

For several, the effects are still being felt in very real ways: leaking roofs, broken pipelines, and homes without internal running water.

Thanks to targeted support and generous partners, like you, we have been able to assist some families with urgent repairs, restoring not only shelter, but dignity.

One of our mentees, Crystal, shared, “It’s the first time in a long time I could sleep without hearing water dripping. It feels like a part of me is finally quiet.”

2. Displacement and the Hidden Costs of Survival

We are also seeing a sharp rise in displacement, especially among young women and their mothers.

The reasons vary; i.e. job loss, discontinued public assistance, and the overwhelming cost of utilities, but the outcome is the same: instability.

These girls often show up with more than just belongings in their bags. They bring worry, fear, and uncertainty.

Through emergency, as well as, continual one-on-one counselling sessions, the distribution of dignity vouchers (for food, hygiene, and basic supplies), and consistent check-ins through our needs assessments, we have been able to offer both immediate relief and long-term mental wellness support.

3. Teen Girls Are Showing Up, and We Are Making Room

More teen girls are joining our programmes than ever before. Both within schools and from outside that formal system.

Many are seeking positive spaces to escape school-based violence, truancy, or social isolation. They’re not just looking for an activity, they’re looking for belonging.

Our sessions have become spaces of storytelling, skill-building, healing, sisterhood and laughter.

One of our newer teens told us, “This is the first time I feel like I’m being seen and not judged.”

4. It Takes a Village, and Ours is Growing

To respond to this influx of need, we’ve welcomed an incredible group of new volunteers this quarter... from programme assistants to mentors.

Their time, presence, and energy have added much-needed hands and hearts to our work.

They are helping girls process trauma, manage anger, and set goals.

They are proof that care is contagious.  For us to best way to help raise other leaders, is to ensure we have solid ones ourselves, as examples of how influence can be positive.

All these results and forms of impact were directly an output of your contributions, so thank you!

 How You Can Support

If these impact highlights moved you, please share it.

Forward this update to a friend, a colleague, or someone who might want to contribute to seeing more of these results become a reality in the next quarter.

When more people know about our girls, more people show up for our girls.

That’s how movements grow. That’s how change begins.

Thank you again for all that you have done and continue to do.

With Gratitude,

The I Am A Girl Community

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