MP Emma Hippolyte invests in youth education in her community

Parents in the Soufrière community and surrounding areas have benefited from another initiative of Emma Hippolyte, Parliamentary Representative for Soufrière/Fond de Saint-Jacques, which aims to support students in their preparation for the upcoming school year. From August 16 to 21, 2024, checks were handed out to more than 400 parents at a small ceremony at the Soufrière/Fond de Saint-Jacques constituency office, providing much-needed financial assistance to help them pay for school supplies for their schoolchildren.

This is the third year for this generous initiative by Parliamentary Representatives. The initiative is in line with the Honourable Hippolyte’s campaign slogan, “Aunt Emma Cares”, and the Saint Lucia Labour Party’s campaign promise to “Put People First”. Given the financial challenges many families face during the start of the school year, these grants are intended to ease some of the burden and ensure students have the much-needed resources they need to succeed in their studies.

The amount of the grant is based on a scale of $300 for parents with one child, $500 for parents with two children and $700 for parents with three or more children. The cheques will be used to purchase basic school supplies such as uniforms, books and other educational materials. This grant is in addition to the St. Lucia Government’s EC$500 grant to parents of any child attending any secondary school on the island to purchase educational supplies.

In his address, H.E. Hippolyte reminded parents: “It is important that everyone plays their part in developing the academic and technical capabilities of the youth in their community so that they can reach their full potential. This grant represents my personal contribution to the educational development of your child.” All applicants, regardless of their political leanings, received the grant, a move in line with the Saint Lucia Government’s policy of “No Child Left Behind”.

She added that by helping parents overcome the financial pressures that come with the cost of education, we are investing in the future of Soufrière and St. Lucia. “I firmly believe that every child should have the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed, and initiatives like mine can reduce the likelihood that financial barriers will prevent them from getting an education. So rest assured, as long as I am your representative in Parliament, I will continue to look for ways to invest in your children’s education.”

The parents who received the donations were full of praise for the donation. One parent expressed her gratitude, saying, “Aunt Emma puts our children first,” and she was very grateful to Miss Emma and Mr. Philip J. Pierre for the donation, which helped her a lot.