Project Coordinator with the American Red Cross (ARC) Funded, Bahamas Red Cross Society (BRCS) HIV Prevention Education Unit based in New Providence, Mr. John Ronald Darville, led a delegation of staff and volunteers to Eleuthera recently for a series of stakeholder meetings with key government and civic agencies.  During the one day exercise, the team comprised also of the Bahamas Red Cross newly appointed HIV Prevention Education Family Island Field Officer, Mr. Bernard Petit-Homme and Harbour Island All-age School Guidance Counselor and Lead North Eleuthera BRCS HIV Prevention Team Volunteer, Ms. Rashida Murray. 

Team members stand with key stakeholders on Eleuthera.

The team began by appraising stakeholders of increased funding and technical support being awarded to the Bahamas Red Cross for programming in Eleuthera as a result of a series of successful training exercises provided on that island the year previous.  In particular, there were more than 110 young persons in Central Eleuthera and Harbour Island that benefitted from HIV Prevention Education Training, and Mr. Darville said that the Bahamas Red Cross now intends to provide related support services for the entire island’s youth population, in addition to young persons living on the other Cays within the Eleuthera district. 
Additionally, Mr. Darville advised of the intent to:

  • Appoint four young people from within the Eleuthera District to serve as Bahamas Red Cross Peer Educators, who will be responsible to provide ongoing community based peer education support, and will also be seen distributing free condoms and information to key youth populations on the island.  Mr. Darville advised that, “two of these youth volunteers have already been identified and trained, and have been implementing in North Eleuthera, specifically Harbour Island.  Residents in this community can contact Ms. Rashida Murray or Ms. Samantha Butler for assistance when necessary.  The other representatives will be appointed in Spanish Wells and South Eleuthera in the Coming weeks”, Mr. Darville said.  Mrs. Emily Petty remains the lead Representative for the Affairs of the Bahamas Red Cross on the Island of Eleuthera, and may be contacted for additional information as usual.  These young persons will also be expected to support general BRC related mobilization of relief support and assistance on the island under Ms. Petty’s direction when necessary. 
  • The Bahamas Red Cross will not only provide HIV Prevention Education Training for youth, but will also provide community sensitization sessions for parents and other key influencing authority figures.  This will include Anti-Stigma and Discrimination Sensitization for Key influencing groups (pastors, youth leaders, officials, etc. . – or whomever these persons may be), and a new communications training programme developed for youth and authority figures called “Trusted Adult Youth Communications” (TAYC). 

During this trip, the Bahamas Red Cross Team also advised of a new social media platform designed to cater to today’s youth population, of which in the very near future, high level promotional activity will be executed to encourage the use of the services of “Watusayin.com” by Eleuthera Youth. 

Project Coordinator Mr. Darville advised that time did not allow for the team to meet with additional civic and non-governmental organizational stakeholders, but that during his next visit to the Eleuthera district, he intend to schedule discussions for collaborations with entities such as the One Eleuthera Foundation, The Eleuthera Cancer Society and the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, among others.  He stated further that “we have already began collaborating with these and other entities in our other projects, but if we are to ensure sustainability once the Bahamas Red Cross has done its part, we must engage all stakeholders and officials to ensure buy-in and sustainability”.

The Bahamas Red Cross is expected, in the coming weeks, to be back with discussions on its new American Red Cross Funded “Resilience in the Americas” (RITA Project) and promotional activity for its youth website, “Watusayin.com”.  For more information, please contact the National Society Head Quarters by telephone at 242-322-9451 or 242-323-7370 or by email at chappbahamas@gmail.com.