The programme, MiyVue.com understands, is called MEND (Mould, Empower, Nurture, Direct) and is designed to assisting family members – especially those who are currently on social assistance programmes, to become more self-sufficient and self-reliant.
Prime Minister Dr. Denzil L. Douglas recently expressed that this programme will place focus on the partnership between government and the family.
“A nation is nothing more than an amalgam of the individual families that live within its borders. Strong families make strong nations. Weak families have the very exact opposite impact. Let me stress that by strong I do not mean wealthy; I mean solid and I mean decent. At any rate the Ministry of Social Affairs and Community Development, has initiated a pilot project…which I would invite the media to learn about and share with the public.”
“This initiative is grounded in a number of key beliefs and these are the following:
- 1. where social and community development is concerned it is essential that governments focus not just on individual family members but on the family unit as a hold.
- 2. There needs to be a spirit of Partnership…between the government and the families involved. And this has to be reflected in an assumption of joint responsibilities because a sense of responsibility; leads to empowerment, empowerment leads to self-worth and self-worth leads to stability.”
Dr. Douglas said the programme is an attempt of the government to “establish a template that via which we can strengthen families throughout the federation because simultaneous with law-enforcement and dealing with whatever actual criminals may actually exist, the pressing need of government, the church, the private sector, the NGO community and ordinary citizens, to help reinforce the building blocks of society, the family remains.”