EMPOWERHER GIRLS IN SPORT MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME 2024: A TRIUMPH OF COMMUNITY, GROWTH, AND LEADERSHIP

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 22nd August 2024 – The EmpowerHer Girls in Sport Mentorship Programme 2024 has successfully concluded after an inspiring four-week initiative across the islands of Grand Turk and Providenciales. The program’s grand finale celebrated joy, growth, and community spirit, leaving a significant impact on all participants.

The programme, a blend of insightful presentations and engaging sports activities, fostered leadership skills, confidence, and teamwork among the young women involved. This initiative was not merely a summer program but a vital investment in the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands, nurturing the next generation of leaders.

Rita Gardiner, President of TCI Women in Sports, conceptualized the EmpowerHer initiative. DèAjah Smith, a sports and exercise student-athlete from Northumbria University, planned and spearheaded the programme as an intern in the TCI National Internship and Apprenticeship Programme. Gardiner expressed her satisfaction with the program’s impact, stating, “Empowering these young women has been a dream come true. Watching them grow, learn, and build their confidence over these four weeks has reaffirmed my belief in the power of mentorship and sports. They are the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together.”

DèAjah Smith remarked, “This experience has been transformative, not only for the girls but for everyone involved. It has been an honour to see these young women embrace the opportunities provided to them and flourish into confident individuals. This program is a testament to what we can achieve when we invest in our youth and their potential.” She also thanked her team, acknowledging, “The success of this program would not have been possible without their unwavering dedication and hard work.”

The program’s success was supported by generous sponsors, including:

1. TCI Sports Commission
2. Office of the Premier
3. Chukka
4. Morris Cottingham
5. Sunny Foods
6. Dizzy Donkey
7. Peaches Restaurant
8. Jack Shack
9. IGA

• TCI Financial Services Commission
• Barbara Gardiner
• Georgina Stiles
• Bereniece Dickenson
• Cutella Talbot
• Tropical Shipping
• Cakeos Cafe
• Ellen Dickenson
• Jimbo Fulford
• Cheryl Ann Jones
• Island Cooler (Shermal Ariza)
• Keith Jennings
• Alonzo Malcolm
• Monique Cox

Special thanks were given to Mrs. Claudell Miller and HJ Robinson High School in Grand Turk for providing their auditorium and to Father Kendall for the use of the Anglican Church Dillon Hall. In Providenciales, Mrs. Roxanne Wake-Forbes and the Edward C. Gartland Youth Center played a crucial role.

Keynote speakers who contributed their insights included Renelle Smith, Cutella Talbot, Shatalia Hall-Green, Raynae Myers, Mrs. Tonya Greaves, Claudell Miller, Bereniece Dickenson, and Lakeia Lewis in Grand Turk, and Danya Russell, Tinell Garland, Ali Parnell, Cutella Talbot, Brianna Walcott, Jatavia Howell, Zaria Ingham, Jasmine Thomas, and Joddy Harvey in Providenciales.

Looking ahead, the EmpowerHer programme is set to expand in 2025, extending its reach to the islands of North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and South Caicos. This extension will provide even more young women across the Turks and Caicos Islands with the opportunity to benefit from this empowering initiative.

The program’s success is a testament to the power of community and mentorship. As it concludes, anticipation is already building for next year’s event, promising even greater opportunities and experiences for the girls of Turks and Caicos.