UNICEF St. Maarten and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS) recently celebrated the symbolic handing over of materials for local afterschool programmes (see Tuesday paper). The significance of that assistance should not be overlooked.
As people tried to get their lives back together following the onslaught of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in a rather chaotic situation, it became even more important than usual for especially working parents to have their children safe and taken care of while on the job. UNICEF made this “mapping and support” effort an early recovery project financed from the Dutch Recovery Fund, basically granting no fewer than 14 such programmes their respective wish-lists, with Amazon donating a large portion of the goods.
People should realise this is not just about the persons directly involved. If someone is unable to function properly because of concern over the wellbeing of his or her offspring this could negatively impact the overall performance of the entire business or government agency.
Not everyone has other affordable options, so the existence of afterschool activities is a key element of the island’s labour market in practice, with an increasing number of mothers now joining the workforce. It is nice to see the organisations in question get some recognition and help they need.
