Dr Shantal Munro-Knight has a dream of guiding young women to find a new path in life.
To fulfil it, the Barbados Labour Party candidate for Christ Church South has partnered with the Qavah Foundation, Ocean Hotels Group and Duty Free Caribbean to host the Girl Get Up! initiative.
Yesterday, at the O2 Beach Club & Spa, St Lawrence, Christ Church, Munro-Knight said the idea was birthed from her own struggles finding her path.
Tactical assistance
“This was conceptualised based on my own upbringing and the recognition that young women in particular need some tactical assistance. I grew up in a neighbourhood which didn’t have a lot of really good examples, particularly for young women, so you were left to find your own way.
“This programme intends to create interventions so that young women don’t necessarily have to find their own way, where we can create an ecosystem of support for them in order to enhance their capacity and improve their life opportunities,” she said.
Munro-Knight said the programme, which starts May 3, would cater to young women aged 18 to 25 who were either unemployed or underemployed with the goal of empowering them to be future leaders. She said the course was for 15 women and the response had been overwhelming.
“Within a week, we had 80 applicants and it is climbing. We originally were hosting women in the Christ Church South area, but it has now opened across Barbados,” she said.
The eight-week course will take place on Saturdays at O2 and it would then be followed by an internship programme.
Trustee with the Qavah Foundation, Liesel Daisley, said the participants would be the first cohort of many to come. She said the initiative was more than a programme and was designed to equip young women with the tools they need to thrive.
“It is a movement that caters to empowering young women to rise to their full potential, to believe in themselves fiercely, and to navigate the world with confidence and grace.
Girl Get Up! is designed with a clear purpose: to equip young women with the tools and support they need to thrive. Our objectives and ambitions are as follows: to develop strong self-esteem and confidence, to build essential life skills, to explore career and education opportunities and to foster a sense of community and belonging.
Gender gap
Chief executive officer of Ocean Hotels Group, Patricia Affonso-Dass, said the initiative would help bridge the gender gap.
“Across Barbados, young women play an integral role in homes, businesses, and the communities in which they live and work, and often they do it alone. Programmes like Girl Get Up! that provide support, training and exposure to young women are instrumental in fostering confidence, self-reliance, and long-term success.
Munro-Knight said there were also plans for a male equivalent, once all the particulars were sorted. However, she said they wanted to start with women first and get that project off the ground. (CA)
