Satisfying the Motherly Instinct in the Caribbean
While personal success and happiness is an important motivator, it bows to a mother’s drive to do right by her children. This is why, in today’s ever-changing and competitive environment, mothers are seeking not just an immediate improvement in their quality of life, but long-term change that can provide their children with a prosperous future. This requires sourcing environments where children have opportunities to develop skills without compromising their lifestyle.
Among many parental considerations are competent schools, a stable political system, diverse job prospects, culturally rich environments, nurturing interactions with neighbours and friends, and positive attitudes to life and the changes brought about by our modernising world.
The island states of Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis are cognisant of these concerns, and are transforming into core destinations for families, often with the support of their citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes.
Within the CBI programmes of each island is the option to invest in a government fund, which in turn contributes to island advancement, targeting social upliftment, education and skills training, local entrepreneurship, and restoration efforts.
Through its Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF), the Government of St Kitts and Nevis has supported college and university students, partnering with local entrepreneurs to create internships and work experience that prepare participants for life after their studies. The SIDF also sponsors the Supporting Advancement of Further Education (SAFE) programme, which provides students in tertiary-level education with financial assistance, and underwrites a Student Assistant Fund for local students who might struggle in obtaining a loan.
St Kitts and Nevis’ newly-established Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) is also expected to fund education, as SGF legislation specifically mentions the financing “of school construction and education related initiatives,” as well as “funding for computers, books, scholarships, and bursaries.”
Similarly, in Dominica, the Ministry of Education revised its budget to provide assistance to those pursuing studies in hospitality, hotel management, the culinary arts, and landscaping, as well as to those seeking to develop technical and manufacturing skills.
Education is not the only element that contributes to a wholesome family, and these Caribbean isles provide a myriad of reasons for children to thrive. Not least of these are the societal values that prevail, and that place significant emphasis on the protection of children. Childrearing in the Caribbean is shared, encompassing members of the extended family, close friends, and even neighbours. The islands’ laid-back and slower pace, with less pressures and distractions, results in families having more time to spend together. Moreover, the fact that English is spoken at home as well as in schools means that children are raised from birth with the ability to communicate internationally.
Children are also more inclined to spend time outdoors, taking full advantage of the islands’ natural environments, and joining peers in popular sporting activities, such as cricket, diving, surfing, or hiking – freeing them, at least partly, from the pull of television and computers.
Safe and peaceful, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis have little that could negatively influence children. Instead, youths form healthy habits in their early years, which guide them to becoming confident, constructive, and optimistic – ultimately shaping them for a future as global citizens.]]>
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