More than $400,000 worth of school supplies has been mobilised to support about 2,000 children in Barbados through the One Family Programme’s 2026 Back-to-School initiative.
The Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs’ One Family Programme, working with Pages Bookstore and other partners, will give books, stationery and other supplies to children from some of Barbados’ most vulnerable families.
Speaking during a media briefing at the ministry’s offices in the Warrens Office Complex on Friday, Nicole Daniel, Social Development Project Manager for the One Family Programme, said the initiative focuses on children from the programme’s 1,000 beneficiary families.
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Adrian Forde (Photo credit: Shamar Blunt / Barbados TODAY)
“As you know, the One Family Programme seeks to empower the lives of 1,000 of the most vulnerable families across Barbados,” Daniel said.
She said these families include about 6,000 people, with around 2,000 school-aged children. About 950 are in primary school, 150 have recently completed the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination and are getting ready for secondary school, and about 1,000 are already in secondary school.
Daniel said the briefing aimed to give the public a glimpse of the work that takes place behind the scenes to ensure children are ready for the new school year.
“We are assisting families with back-to-school books, with supplies, etc.,” she said, noting that all of the items being distributed had been donated by sponsors and partners.
She also thanked volunteers, including members of the Kiwanis Club of Pride of Barbados, and said the initiative shows how important working together is.
“This just shows how good and how key and how critical partnership is in this programme,” Daniel said, encouraging individuals and organisations to continue supporting the effort because of its impact on Barbadian families.
Social Development Project Manager for the One Family Programme Nicole Daniel and Minister of People Empowerment Adrian Forde looking over some of the supplies that will be given out to vulnerable families before the start of the new school year. (Photo Credit: Shamar Blunt / Barbados TODAY)
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Adrian Forde said the donated supplies were worth over $400,000 and stressed that investment in education was one of the best ways to support young people.
“Education is priceless,” Forde said. “The opportunity to have that education must be a right. It is not a privilege; it is a right.”
The minister said the current initiative is helping 2,000 children, but he hopes the programme will reach many more in the future.
“We can only do it if there are partnerships created,” he said.
Forde thanked the non-governmental organisations, businesses and other supporters who contributed to the drive and urged additional members of the private sector to get involved.
“We are one big family here with one single focus, one drive, and that is to develop the best citizens in Barbados,” he said.
(SB)
