Dominican girl guides told of the importance of “coup de main” (koudmen)

The Girl Guide Association of Dominica held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday April 18^th 2015 at the Girl Guides Headquarters on High Street under the theme “Global Partnership for Development.

In attendance was, Her Excellency, Mrs. Clara Savarin, wife of His Excellency the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Chief Guide, Hon. Mrs. Alix Boyd Knight, Speaker of the House of Assembly and featured speaker, Mr. John Roach, Chief Youth Development Officer, Mr. Sammy Wyke, President of Dominica Scouts Association, Mr. Davidson John, Deputy Scouts Commissioner.  The meeting was also attended by leaders and members of various units of the island.

President of the Girl Guides Association of Dominica, Ms. Valencia Webb, welcomed and addressed the gathering. “Young people are the hope of this nation; they are the hope for the future. They saw Girl Guiding as the organization that had the formula that would help to build self-esteem, teach values such as honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, character, sisterhood, confidence and citizenship through our guiding programme”.  She emphasized that service is a fundamental leader’s value that can improve the association through what is put in. “As Guiders, your expertise, skills, life experience and availability are needed, without the commitment of all of you as guiders, volunteers, girl guiding could not happen.”

Chief Commissioner Mrs. Janice Jean-Jacques Thomas deliberated in her report of the successful year that the Association have had notwithstanding the many challenges faced. “Success was achieved in our recruitment efforts which have resulted in increased membership and the expansion of guiding in areas where there was dormancy or the absence of guides”.  Chief Commissioner Thomas stated that the challenges faced were mostly in retaining the girls when they have reached the senior forms of secondary school, due the schools work load or on the completion of secondary school and proceeding to the State College and the unavailability of leaders.

The Chief Commissioner highlighted the performance of key areas such as membership which she indicated needs to be increased by 30% in keeping with the objective set by the World Association by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGS); activities for girls through the non-formal programme and four point programme; two successful fundraising events; training which included a successful training weekend camp; advocacy; regional and international activities and financing.

In looking ahead; Chief Commissioner Thomas made an appeal for volunteers to join at all levels in the movement: on the Council, Executive, as Guiders and mentors.

Featured speaker, Hon. Mrs. Alix Boyd-Knights, Speaker of the House of Assembly graced the gathering with her thought provoking words on the Association’s Annual General Meeting Theme “Global Partnership for Development”

Mrs. Boyd-Knights expounded on the theme by breaking it down to what she described as a village community. She defined the once popular word  “coup-de-main” (helping hands) used here in Dominica where people relied on that co-operation  and are aware that by helping each other, more can be done to improve their circumstances.  She related this co-operation to the persons tilling their land and building their houses.

Mrs. Boyd-Knights also elaborated on the practical side of global partnership and co-operation by making reference to the OECS and CARICOM as small groups which has pooled resources to improve the standard of living for its members.

The Girl Guides Association of Dominica extends appreciation to all those who participated and made the hosting of its Annual General Meeting a success.