Construction has commenced to expand and reroof the Operation Youth Quake but the project requires additional funding to complete a comfortable home.
The Operation Youth Quake was originally established in 1978 to provide an alternative to prison for delinquent young boys and as a rehabilitation center for physically and emotionally deprived boys.
The Operation Youth Quake currently provides day care service and short term residential care.
The boys and girls are aged 12-18; most of them attend school or programmes recommended by magistrates.
In an interview with GIS News, Director of the Operation Youth Quake, Lennox Abraham, provided information about the project which has been in the pipeline for about four years.
“This roofing project is sponsored by the OECS/USAID Juvenile Justice Reform Project. The project started last week and we hope it will last for about six weeks. We are also doing some remodeling. We have gotten some sponsorship for that from the Beverly Foundation through the Resource Foundation in the United States and we have also gotten some money from Government to assist with that,” he explained.
Abraham believes it is important to create a safe and secure environment for the young residents.
“My thing is that if you take a young person out from the streets or situations, you have to bring them to a place where, they can be comfortable and things are in place for them.”
He noted that the President and the President’s Charities Foundation have both been very instrumental in sourcing funds for the redevelopment of the centre’s farm.
The programmes of the Operation Youth Quake are geared at equipping the participants with basic skills such as: reading, writing, farming, cooking, baking and social skills.
Meantime, the seven young residents of the Operation Youth Quake have been relocated to what was formerly known as Eden Guesthouse.
Abraham appeals, “We are short on funds for what we want to accomplish so we are asking the public to come and support this worthwhile venture.”
