From left: SMDF Managing Director Makhicia Brooks, Dutch Representative in Philipsburg Eelco Boomsma and SMDF’s Program Development Manager Melanie Choisy.
~ SMDF appointed grant manager ~
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF), through the support of the Representation of the Netherlands in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten VNACS in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK, will be directing 88,000 euros in grants to four local organisations.
As grant manager, SMDF will oversee the funding process, ensuring that these projects contribute to strengthening civil society, promoting inclusivity, and improving the quality of life for residents.
Eelco Boomsma, Head of the Representation of the Netherlands in Philipsburg, emphasised the importance of investing in civil society initiatives that support the sustainable development of St. Maarten, saying: “This grant initiative is very much in line with our capacity-building efforts for civil society organisations (CSOs), empowering them to implement effective community-level resilience-building activities and fostering sustainable development on St. Maarten.
“These funding initiatives have also been granted to CSOs in Aruba and Curaçao. The representation of the Netherlands envisions that CSOs will exchange knowledge and experiences across different islands during the project duration, fostering collaboration and enhancing the overall impact of their resilience-building initiatives.”
The funding, made available through VNACS, is part of an effort to support initiatives that promote civic participation, human rights, and the well-being of vulnerable groups in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. On St. Maarten, the four recipient organisations are actively working on strengthening the community through actions in healthy living, food security, education, and social entrepreneurship.
Stichting EGO will increase its data collection on the lifestyle and health habits of primary school pupils in St. Maarten. The study will query factors such as screen time, outdoor play, sleep patterns, and social behaviours, helping to inform future policies and programmes that promote child well-being. At the end of the survey, Stichting EGO will have crucial insights into the habits of primary school pupils across all public and subsidised schools.
No Kidding With Our Kids Foundation will implement an after-school agricultural project, equipping children with hands-on skills in growing, harvesting, and selling produce. This initiative fosters future self-sufficiency and improves youth familiarity with agriculture.
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) will expand the Perpetual Plastic project with new waste-diversion equipment, promoting environmental sustainability and waste reduction. The funding will also support modifications to the workspace to accommodate participation of volunteers with varying abilities in collaboration with Sister Basilia Center at White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation.
Foresee Foundation will use its grant to host a conference and workshops addressing key topics such as social entrepreneurship, fundraising and grant writing, which empower local organisations and citizens to take an active role in shaping their communities.
SMDF Managing Director Makhicia Brooks extended the organisation’s appreciation of the Representation’s support and highlighted the value of continued support for community organisations, saying: “The Representation’s support allows us to direct much needed funds towards community initiatives. NGOs [non-governmental organisations – Ed.] continue to provide crucial services and resources to the community and SMDF welcomes support for these valuable programmes.”
As part of the grant-making process, all recipient organisations will be required to report to SMDF on the progress of their projects, ensuring transparency, accountability, and alignment with the intended social impact. These reports will provide insights into the effectiveness of the initiatives and contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen St. Maarten’s civil society.
