First Structure of the Institution's Day Nursery

Background

The St Benedict’s Day Nursery was opened on July 25th 1963. The St.Benedict’s Infant Hospital was opened on February 13th 1968. Both facilities were established in Georgetown, St Vincent after studies conducted by the late Father Roland Roberts revealed that the cause of the many infant deaths and resultant funerals that he presided over, were a result of malnutrition and its accompanying complications. With the establishment of St Benedict’s, Fr Roland’s objective was to nurture and preserve the physical, psychological, social, educational and spiritual health and development of these children. Fr. Roberts, with a few volunteers, managed the institutions for the first eight years of its existence, prior to the arrival of the Corpus Christi Carmelites. 

The Day Nursery provided daily care for children of poor families; The Day Nursery provided many years of day care services for approximately one hundred children per year, ages 3 months to 4 years.

These children came from the lowest social and economic strata of St Vincent and the Grenadines. From its inception until 2005, St Benedict’s Day Nursery strove to enhance the lives of children through quality preschool education. The children were served three meals per day. Parents (mainly mothers) were asked to pay a small weekly fee, though many of them were unable to pay.

The first building housing the Day Nursery was a wooden estate house, donated with the land by Mr. Basil Balcombe after the sugar factory was destroyed. This estate house was eventually expanded in October, 1969 as demand for its services grew.

The Infant Hospital provided services for mal-nourished infants. During the past 2 years only 2-3 infants have been admitted to the Infant Hospital. We feel that mothers are now more able to care for their infants. On the other hand, for several years now, we have had a number of cases of sexual and physical abuse, abandoned orphans, mal-nourished, mentally challenged children, mothers serving prison sentences.  Some of these children were able to obtain foster or adoption care. At present we care for four (6) mentally challenged children.  There are also two (2) slow learners; one boy is already attending the School for Special Need about 1 hour’s drive from our Institution can be very bothersome but a branch of this school has not been operating for some time now.   

Most of the above described children have remained with us from infancy or were admitted at the approximate age of two (2) years old. They were sent to us via the Family Services Department.  There is no other home for children in this island; hence the children have remained with us from early childhood.  (Our oldest resident is nineteen years and is mentally challenged.)

The Present

St. Benedict’s Infant Hospital.  Though designed for the care and discharge of infants with mal-nutrition, mental and physical disabilities, victims of abuse, orphans and abandonment, for some time now, due to an increase in the need for placement for older children with the above mentioned conditions, and having no other facility on the island, the Infant Hospital has also been used as a permanent home for these children.  With nine full-time residents, the home is in its current condition operating at capacity, though the need remains high to accept more children.

The children currently in residence range in age from six to 21 years old.  Four are non- ambulant, needing care for even the most basic needs, and the other four are at some level mentally challenged, from learning disabilities to severe autism.  They come from all over the mainland and the Grenadines, and most have lived at St. Benedict’s since infancy.

After 43 years of wear and tear, all the buildings are now in need of major restructuring and modernizing.  The indoor areas for work and play are inadequate.  Presently, the roofs and all wooden structures such as doors, windows, (except for a few, which definitely had to be replaced), rafters and furniture are madly termite eaten and beyond repair. The Infant Hospital building in which they have been living became unsafe to inhabit. For years now, major expenses have been postponed with the view of upgrades and expansion.  As a result since 2004, the Day Nursery has been closed to the nursery children and staff population. However nine permanent residents are still housed in a section of the Day Nursery building.

In addition to the above major repairs, the entire fencing which is part concrete and part wire, has deteriorated immensely and is in dire need of repairs.  It creates a threat to the lives of the children, especially when they are at outdoor activities.

Today, St Benedict's seeks to rebuild, expand and upgrade this worthy establishment. Not only has the population of the institution grown to the point where children have had to be turned away, the institution requires additional space to accommodate the developmental and rehabilitative facilities necessary for the holistic growth and improvement of its wards.

The Infant Hospital has extended its services, and now, in addition to caring for mal-nourished children, those who have been abandoned, orphaned and or battered, those with physical and mental disabilities are also cared for.

Under the management of the Corpus Christi Carmelites, St. Benedict's Day Nursery and Children's Home Inc. has embarked upon a project to improve the quality of life and of services for its children, and to increase the number of children the institution is able to serve.

This reconstruction and the upgrade of the Institutions will enable us to render more effective caring services to the many under-privileged children who seek our care and attention.

We have planned for upgrade and expansion and have obtained estimates which have enabled us to seek funding to begin construction in 2009.

Thank you once again for your continued support and assistance. May all your endeavors be blessed as you serve the various charities, who like us, depend on your generosity.

The Vision

Primarily, St Benedict's would like to be able to welcome many children of all ages who need their assistance. In order to do this, we need to make some dramatic changes to the current facilities - upgrading the Day Nursery and relocating the Infant Hospital into a new building altogether. The new building, to be called St Benedict's Children's Home, will be divided into family type units in order to allow better management by the care givers. The plans also include development of the facilities for mentally and physically challenged children.

Recreational facilities are also being considered in this all round development of St Benedict’s, and include the following:

• Physiotherapy
• Counseling
• Early Intervention

Description of Project

There are two aspects to this project: constructing a new Children’s Home for resident children on a new site in Georgetown, and reconstructing the Day Nursery on the current location.

The site, in Georgetown is nearby to our current location.  Its size is much more suitable to create the kind of environment we envisage for our children. 

St. Benedict’s Children’s Home

There is a need for a Children’s Home for older children between the ages of eleven to eighteen years who have no where to go and has outgrown our home for younger children.

The new facility will span over three acres and include some basic accommodations for mentally and physically challenged children, such as a built-in wheelchair ramp, that our current facility lacks.

The home is to be built in five family-style units, each to accommodate eight children, including two to three mentally challenged children, and thereby allowing us to increase the number of children we can serve.  There will be space for physiotherapy, counseling, medical care, and early intervention, as well as a recreational facility with an enclosed pool, which is therapeutic for children with cerebral palsy.  Plans also provide for a generator, water tanks, a walk-in-deep freezer, livestock, a garden, heavy duty appliances (cookers, washers and dryers), fire escapes, mosquito screens, and wrought iron, as well as a facility for staff incorporated into the children’s units.  A new convent will also be included, along with accommodation for volunteers, both for daily use and short-term stays.

(A long term plan is to develop our present convent for a small scale hostel for boys.  We envisaged that some teenage – young adult boys will have absolutely nowhere to live when it becomes necessary for their discharge from the Institution).

A draft form of the general plan is already lodged with the architect, who has for a long time now offered some free services in collaboration with the Rotary Club of St. Vincent.

St. Benedict’s Day Nursery

The first draft from the architect for rebuilding the existing facility as St. Benedict’s Day Nursery is on hand.  The nursery will encompass a two-storey building which will cater to approximately 80 children between the ages of three months to three years.  An enclosed outdoor recreational facility will be incorporated, as we all know how vital play is for the development of little ones.  Emphasis for the Day Nursery will be to provide low-cost, quality care to small groups by trained staff.

At St Benedict’s the child comes first.

In its 43 years of existence, St Benedict’s has provided many benefits to the Vincentian community.  Undoubtedly, St Benedict’s most notable accomplishment is its ability to significantly enhance the quality of life for those who have no chance to choose'.

Beneficiaries of the St. Benedict’s Project

Direct Beneficiaries:

For the Day Nursery: up to 80 infants, ages 3 months to 3 years, from Georgetown and surrounding areas.

For the Children’s Home:  the nine children who currently reside at St. Benedict’s; SVG as a whole, offering specialized services for up to 40 children without a home elsewhere.

Indirect Beneficiaries:

Parents who work; parents who lack the skills or knowledge to care for a special needs child; the community and country as a whole, as the Day Nursery produces children better equipped to enter primary school and as the Children’s Home provides a safe, loving environment for children who may otherwise be homeless and unwanted.

Specific goals/objectives of the Project

1. To rebuild the Day Nursery on its current location and once again provide low cost day care for approximately 80 children (7.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. Monday through Friday)

2. In a new location in Georgetown, to construct a new facility - St. Benedict’s Children’s Home, effectively increasing capacity to provide residence for up 40 children

3. To provide adequate facilities for the non-ambulant children at St. Benedict’s

Expected results of the Project

This project will also provide the resident children of St. Benedict’s with a modern facility specially designed to cater to children with physical and mental disabilities. The New Children’s Home will allow St. Benedict’s to increase capacity from nine to 40 children.

Impact of the Project

1. Completion of the two facilities
2. Increase in number of residents at the Children’s Home
3. Enrolment of infants at the Day Nursery

Financial Contribution to the Project

St. Benedict’s is funded primarily for its daily operations on fundraisers and private donations both locally and internationally.  The government also contributes a small portion of funds.  Additionally, the Administrator of St. Benedict’s has been actively fundraising for the rebuilding project for the last several years, fundraising that will continue until sufficient funds are raised to begin and complete the project.  All of this development, including of accommodations for some of the many volunteers who have already indicated their willingness to assist St Benedict’s, is estimated to cost in excess of $2,000,000 EC dollars.

In order for this dream to come true for our children, we are seeking assistance for the funds to proceed with this mammoth project.  We would be most thankful for your assistance in whatever way. 

Thanks in advance for any assistance that can be offered at this time towards the care and maintenance of our present children or towards the speedy construction of the new home for their upgraded comfort and care.

Assistance will also be needed for the sustenance of the Institution on final rebuilding.

For information on how you can help us, please see our Wish List , or contact Sr. Nyra-Anne at the St. Benedict's Day Nursery and Children's Home Inc. 

Update –October 2008

The Children: Our two (2) slow learners - The boy has returned to his mother.  The girl has been attending a unit for special needs children now reestablished by St. Vincent Government in Georgetown.

Oldest resident: She is now twenty three (23) years old.

Katie our Peace Corps volunteer and Mayumi, our Japanese volunteer kept the children occupied with activities during the summer holidays – the children began school and promised to do their best in their studies.

Thank you so much!