WELCOME TO THE COUVA/TABAQUITE/TALPARO REGION'S WEB PAGE.

The first RSHDC Meeting in the Couva / Tabaquite / Talparo Region was held on Wednesday 08th November, 2005 at the Conference Room of the Couva Social Services Centre. This meeting followed a series of Training Workshops that initially took place at other venues in order to sensitize the membership on the core functions of the RSHDC and on poverty issues in general. By the time the Council met the members were already familiar with each other, having met at the previous training and sensitization workshops and seminars.

One of the first activities initiated by this Council was a familiarization tour of the region. This was designed to take place in two phases. Another important activity was a sensitization programme in which the Civil Society Network was to be involved. It should be noted here that Couva was one of the original networks to be formed in 2003.


Success Stories

The first success story of the Project Implementation Unit of the Couva / Tabaquite / Talparo Region could be listed as the facilitation of a Recall Consultation on Wednesday, 2nd.February, 2005, in order to identify representatives of the sub-regions for service on the Network of Civil Society Organizations. Although this region’s network was already functioning, it lacked full representation from the various electoral districts which made up the Borough. 

The meeting which was held at the Rudrunath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre, targeted the NGOs, CBOs and FBOs of the various sub-regions. Over one hundred and three persons representing some fifty-eight organizations attended. Support in the mobilization of this initial outreach was obtained from the County Councilors and Parliamentary representatives of that region. Also lending quality support were the staff of the Community Development Department. Who assisted with both mobilization and preparation of a data base of organizations.

Adding to the success of the day’s event were the positive response of the Regional Corporation’s representatives and the punctual attendance of most of the invited organizations. The day’s proceedings were ably facilitate by the Quality Consultants Limited.

However, this was the first in a series of smaller consultations which were held in the sub-regions of Tortuga, Freeport, Gasparillo, and Macaulay and which wee all successful relevant to their geographic spread.

Another successful initiative that was experienced by this RSHDC was in the area of the Regional Micro Project Fund. This Region was the first to approve and successfully recommend an organization, in the persons of the Point Lisas Development Committee, for a grant through the RMPF. The project that was initiated was an Anger Management Project for children, teachers and parents of the Couva/Pt. Lisas and environs communities. Approximately eighty young persons between the ages of ten (10) years and sixteen (16) years, of age benefited from that effort at a cost of Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00).

Most of this sum was spent in the funding of a two week vacation camp in Anger Management.  The other part of the project comprised of Anger Management Workshops which were held at two schools for youth of the area over a three month period.

While still on the RMPF, this region submitted and received the highest number of grants, during the first year of the fund’s launch in 2005. Projects receiving funding ranged from attitudinal development to service oriented projects,  e.g. 

•Food Preparation and Catering
•Agriculture
•Education / Library Skills
•Music
•Life Skills 
•Self- Defense
•Computer Science
•Bakery

To date this Region has had twenty (20) projects approved for funding.

Over the past two years this Region successfully organized and conducted at least four outreach programmes, to meet the various communities, each year.

Areas in which outreach meetings were held included:

•Carlson Field Point-a-Pierre/Claxton Bay
 23rd. March, 2005

•Tortuga / Caratal
 31st. March,2005

•Gasparillo
 13th. and  29th. July, 2005

•Talparo
 10th. August, 2005

•Freeport
 12th. October, 2005

•Union Claxton Bay
 9th. November, 2005

•Couva /Point Lisas
 15th. March, 2006

•Warrenville
 11th. April, 2006

•Orange Valley
 4th.June, 2006

•Flanagin Town
 11th. October, 2006

•Gran Couva
 8th. November, 2006           

Hosted a One-Day Workshop for RSHDC members on Agriculture with emphasis on undertaking the Grow Box Method through the use of lectures, multimedia presentations and practical demonstration. This was indeed a success since all the RSHDC Members attended. Presenting the day’s programme were staff of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Extension Division. The audio visual presentation was done at the Conference Room of the Social Services Centre in Couva, while the Practical demonstration was held at the home of Ms Noreen Furlonge, an RSHDC Member, in the Couva district. All members journeyed by motor-car to the demonstration. The highlight of the day was the involvement of each member taking turns at preparing the beds for planting. See photographs.

Hosted a One-Day Seminar, with the UNDP’s Small Grants Programme for the benefit of members of the RSHDC, the Network of Civil Society Organizations and recipients of the Regional Micro Project Fund. This workshop was intended to engender awareness of the various opportunities that existed in the UNDP’s Small Grants Programme. This seminar had an attendance of approximately thirty persons who all claimed to have benefited immensely from the exercise. Facilitators were, Mr. Richard Laidoo and Ms. Beverly Chase of the UNDP. 

Hosted the Second RMPF Awards Ceremony, at the Warrenville Regional Complex. This was indeed a tremendous exercise in planning for the secretariats of the PIU in Chaguanas and Couva.

One of the achievements of this function was the catering. All the refreshments served on that day were prepared by the Three Roads Women’s Group of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Region, who had previously received a RMPF Award for Food Preparation and Catering. This was indeed a proud moment for the group.


Interventions

1). Intervened on behalf of the El Quemado Community for the reconstruction of a bridge to enable the children’s safe passage to and from school, the agriculturists transport of their crop to the market and the general community’s entry and exit fir everyday matters. 

This intervention is now receiving the attention of the Ministry of Local Government.

2). The erection of a new home for a family in the Baster Hall Community through collaboration with the Self Help Commission and Civil Society.(See picture of house to be upgraded hereunder).This structure actually sits on the side of a hill and is in danger of shifting whenever it rains heavily.

3). Acquisition of a wheel chair for an incapacitated member of the Community through collaborative efforts within the Ministry of Social Development.


Activity Plans

March 2007
Courtesy visit to the President of the Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce & Greater Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce. RSHDC, CSN and PIU Representatives

11th April 2007
-1:00pm RSHDC Meeting at 
 Couva Social Services

-4:00pm Outreach at Tabaquite

April 2007
(a). One Day Seminar with Business and Banking sector in Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo region to apprise them of the RSHDC & CSN and get commitment of support from them.

(b). Two day Micro Entrpreneurship Seminar hosted in conjunction with the NEDCO. Coordinated by Year 2 UWI, Social Work Student, Ms.Sophia Mc Intosh and PIU Secretariat.

9th May 2007
-1:00pm 	RSHDC Meeting at 
 Couva Social Services

-4:00pm	Outreach at Arena

25th-28th May 2007	
Display booth at outreach session to publicize RSHDC & CSN. Booth will also be in Sugar and Energy Festival in collaboration with the Couva/ Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce. 

June 2007
Seminars in Crisis and Disaster Emergency Preparation Training coordinated by RSHDC team.