Helping women to make better choices

The Women for Change Empowerment Organisation recently celebrated only their second year of operation and already they are creating waves in Clarendon. To mark their milestone, the team went to the St Monica’s Home for Children to spread love and hope.

Founder of the organisation, Britney Bowen, said that since they have been around, their presence has positively impacted the women in the parish.

Initially focusing only on mentorship and empowerment, Bowen, said that the group is now highlighting volunteerism as well, hence the forging of a partnership with the Garvey Maceo High School Interact Club to execute their projects.

She said that she is giving thanks for the support she has received from volunteers, which gives her hope for the future of the programme in the parish.

As part of the anniversary celebration, wards at the St Monica’s Home benefited from a full turnout of volunteers who provided toiletries, clothing items and treats for the children.

Helping women

As they enter their third year, Bowen said that the organisation wants to make deeper inroads into the lives of women – especially those from Clarendon.

“There are so many issues to be addressed. Some women are suffering under the quiet and they are afraid to speak up. It takes time and a lot of patience to get them to open up, but as an organisation, we cannot give up on them,” said the founder, who added that it breaks her heart reading about the many cases of women being abused and killed by their partners.

She said that the issue is near and dear to her heart, and one of the goals for this year is to mentor the women the organisation interacts with to make better choice, to think long and hard and pray, too, before forming any romantic liaison.

“I want them to know that women can get together to do more than gossip or put down each other. We can strengthen, lift up and bond, too,” said Bowen.

In addition to her ‘baby’, the Women for Change Empowerment Organisation, Bowen, who is a past student of Vere Technical High School, is also Clarendon’s Parish Youth Council assistant public relations officer, as well as the parish’s youth advocate for Talk Up Yout’, a member of the National Integrity Action. She lists her number-one passion as “advocating for youth”.