I AM A GIRL, and often also referred to as ‘the Community’, was officially launched in October 2014. It comprises of Barbadian residents that have seen a need for change within the minds, hearts and culture of the girls of Barbados. As a result, a sense of urgency for intervention encouraged the development of a holistic community modelled organisation based around the philosophy: ‘Reach One; Teach One’. The purpose of the Community shall be to contribute to the continual progression of Barbadian youth by providing opportunities for young "at risk" girls to be more empowered through their overall growth into adulthood with guidance and support, by aiding in their development of skills, social responsibility, career and fellowship necessary to create positive change, not only within themselves but within their families and wider communities. What does “at risk” mean? This is a term used to illustrate that a particular segment of society is statistically more prone to be unsuccessful in various aspects of their lives due to the unfortunate circumstances directly or indirectly thrown at them and/or based on something as simple as gender. This is an extremely broad concept and arguably all girls within Barbados are “at risk” in some way; however, for some it is their support system that may set them apart from how much further than others they go. This is where 'the Community' comes in and ensures that the majority are also supported.
