WROC In The Media

Residents benefit from two-day roofing project

alteroo — 2009-02-04T05:53:29Z

Several male and female community volunteers came out recently to learn the craft of roofing as part of the two-day Sustainable Roofing project run by the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC), in Botany Bay, St. Thomas.

Some 35 residents came out on the first day to learn the theory of preparing roofing that would withstand hurricane-force winds.

On the second day of the training project, volunteers climbed a ladder to the one-room house of 32-year-old Rose Murray, an unemployed mother of five children, to completely replace the roof which had been left in a porous condition by Hurricane Dean. It was a learning experience for most of them.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Friday, January 11, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Power brokers guarded in optimism for 2009

alteroo — 2008-12-28T05:00:00Z

WHILE 2008 was one of the most challenging years in recent history, local power brokers, policymakers and programme managers are expressing optimism about the new year, although with some reservations.

Linnette Vassell, gender specialist - Rural Water Development programme, Chairwoman - Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC)

I hope that in 2009 the leaders at the community level will continue to put out their best efforts to complete the implementation of local water supply systems including the Mile Gully and Warwick Castle Benevolent Development Societies (BDS), the Gravel Hill BDS and the Whitehorse's BDS. I hope that they will be strengthened and take full responsibility for these water supply projects which are slated for completion in early 2009. We are hoping that the leaders will not give up despite the challenges, but will press ahead to realise their goals.

With regards to WROC - which is currently pursuing banana worker rehabilitation in St Thomas and violence prevention and sustainable livelihoods projects in inner-city Kingston - and the wider voluntary sector in Jamaica, I hope that they will continue to work to stabilise themselves and serve local communities. The pressure for urban livelihoods (sustainable employment) is really tremendous, especially in Kingston.

We also hope that the government will give some consideration to supporting the workers in the voluntary sector with special incentives for those who still do not own their own homes.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, December 28, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Alva Marie Graham changing careers at 50

alteroo — 2008-11-09T05:00:00Z

Sitting in on a career session for youngsters at her church in one of Kingston's inner cities a few years ago, loans officer Alva Marie Graham felt a tad uncomfortable.

With a first degree in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies, and a technical teacher's diploma in business studies from the University of Technology, she had been high school teacher, college lecturer, and business manager.

The talk with the youngsters was all about starting out in new careers with the usual motivational speech for antsy young students, raring to go make their mark.

Along with the young women and men present, Alva Graham wanted to start all over again.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, November 9, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Give the man a hand: Gender roles revised

alteroo — 2008-11-03T05:00:00Z

It is thought that gender awareness can reduce the performance pressure on men and make them less prone to violence. The piece below is based on a discussion with gender expert Violet Sutherland, the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre's (WROC) new gender specialist.

Delroy White - whose name and others in this piece have been changed at request - was paying all his household bills as a single, taxi driver before his marriage to Susanne, a fully employed professional. But, following their marriage, he expressed the desire to 'stop the hustling' and found employment as a truck driver.

With the rise in gas prices, all Delroy has been able to do with the income from the new job is put gas in the car used to take himself and his wife to work. Susanne has been left responsible for all other bills.

Susanne states that she has no problem with his choices as long as Delroy "does not try" to pass on the expenses for transport, or any other 'personal need' to her.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Observer on Monday, November 3, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Observer website.

Women in the News - WROC's new Executive Director

Admin — 2008-10-06T04:00:00Z

Dorothy Whyte is the new Executive Director at the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC) on Beechwood Avenue. The organisation is dedicated to the development of inner-city and rural women.

According to Chairperson of WROC, Linnette Vassell, "Ms Whyte comes with strong management skills developed through years of experience at senior levels in finance and research and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. With a strong background in management, she is expected to contribute to the organisational strengthening of this organisation."

Whyte assumed her new role on September 15, having previously worked at the Office of the Prime Minister where she provided technical support to the development council and facilitated the implementation of the objectives of the National Industrial Policy.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Monday, October 6, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Parenting without abuse

Admin — 2008-09-30T02:40:00Z

Adults acting as children always draw laughter, but a recent play on parenting, staged by the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC) players, provoked argument as well as the usual belly laughs.

"What we are going to do this afternoon is to show you some ways that we behave as parents." The cajoling tone of drama coach Carol Lawes promised merriment as she announced the first act by the WROC Players in Trinityville, St Thomas, in the summer performance.

The play was part of WROC'S and Christian Aid's promotion of parenting without abuse, using drama as the main means of communication.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Monday, September 29, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Patricia Pringle-Baker: A community's mother

alteroo — 2008-09-14T04:00:00Z

As unusual as it might seem, some people do enjoy a life spent making sure that everyone within their reach is doing as well as it is within their power to ensure.

Patricia Pringle-Baker, however, is no ordinary 'do-gooder'. Apparently a very simple 'country' woman, she has learnt how to leverage a natural talent for networking and a superior skill in organisation into tangible benefits for her entire community in Pamphret, Botany Bay and White Horses in St. Thomas.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, September 14, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

WROC stages remedial summer school for teens

Admin — 2008-08-18T04:00:00Z

WITH the help of the National Commercial Bank, the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC) last week launched a late summer remedial programme for some 17 students from communities surrounding Beechwood, Lyndhurst, Greenwich Park and nearby inner-city areas.

Entitled, 'Learning is Fun', the programme - which will run until August 22 - is introducing boys and girls - aged 12 to 16 - to Mathematics and English in a fun way.

The students have been engaged in doing sports, mathematical puzzles, word games, quizzes, writing songs and learning origami. At the end of the two-week exercise they are expected to have completed six sessions each of Computing, English, Mathematics and Values and Attitudes.

Huntley Anderson, co-ordinator of the programme explains that the basics of English and Mathematics have been included in every activity. "It's an excellent approach because we are reinforcing the theme of 'Learning is Fun' in everything we do," he said.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Observer on Monday, August 18, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Observer website.

Drama on the streets

Admin — 2008-08-11T04:00:00Z

The Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC) will be taking theatre to the street corners in Kingston in the near future as they recently launched their Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) community outreach programme, using drama as the main means of communication and to attract attention.

On Tuesday, July 22, the initial community dialogue on the CEDAW, was staged on Beechwood Avenue with the men in the audience competing with one another to 'cool' the hot temper of 'Marcia', played by Prudence Burke, a single mother about to be laid off from her job and at the same time, she discovers that her youngest daughter is being 'supported' by her delinquent father's best friend.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Monday, August 11, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Gambling with the soil

alteroo — 2008-08-10T04:00:00Z

Climate change is one term with which the smallest of small farmers in St Thomas should now be familiar. Joan Buchanan, a 53-year-old farming veteran, knows this as intimately as she knows when her bananas are market ready.

Buchanan remembers the years when she could set her pot on the fire from predictable earnings of her work and send her children to school dressed in 'good clothes' too. But, in recent years, with hurricanes producing frequent rains, floods and blistering heat, farming is a gamble worse than buying the games that people play, Buchanan says.

When The Sunday Gleaner - in late July - visited her farm, located on a few acres outside of Seaforth, the callaloo was spotted with white fly disease as was the gungo, which otherwise would provide a sure income for the Christmas season.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, August 10, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

St. Thomas prepares for disaster

Admin — 2008-07-13T04:00:00Z

In Sommerset, St Thomas, home-wrecking landslides during hurricanes and heavy rains are as predictable as the daily sunset.

So, when 28-year-old Stacy-Ann White, a teacher living in the community, heard about a way of preparing for hurricanes - with the hope of lessening the damage - she was quite determined to know more. She invited her neighbours too.

In the first week of June, farmers and other community members from Trinityville, Font Hill, Whitehorses, Botany Bay, Pamphret, Johnson Mountain, Taris and Spring Bank in St Thomas, participated in a two-day 'Initial Damage Assess-ment Workshop' hosted by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), and the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, July 13, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner.

Gender bias? - New report shows inequities in Jamaican boardroom appointments

alteroo — 2008-06-02T04:00:00Z

A recent research has shown that many areas of inequity persist on Jamaican boards - both government and corporate.

The study, pursued between November 2007 and March 2008, was done locally, under the direction of a project steering committee comprising representatives of the Association of Women's Organisations in Jamaica/the Jamaica Women's Political Caucus, the Bureau of Women's Affairs, the Centre for Gender and Development Studies UWI, the Jamaica Business Women's Association, the Joint Trade Union Development Centre and the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC).

Forty-four organisations were randomly chosen to participate in the study. Thirty public sector agencies, along with 10 publicly listed private sector companies and four trade unions were included.

Over 80 per cent of the respondents were from public sector organisations, with 15 per cent from the private sector. The findings were presented at a workshop convened by WROC at the Courtleigh Hotel, in Kingston, on Thursday, May 22.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Monday, June 2, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Men still at the helm: Study says women play lesser roles in governance, leadership

alteroo — 2008-05-25T04:00:00Z

New research has pin-pointed the persistence of "entrenched male hegemony" within Jamaica's boardrooms and raises the question as to why - with higher levels of education among women - they have not been 'rewarded' with more substantial leadership positions.

Claiming that the educational standards needed for males to succeed in the Jamaican society are lower than those required by females, the recently completed study, entitled 'Gender and Governance: Implications for Women's Participation on Boards and Commissions in Jamaica,' notes that "a higher percentage of women than men (in boardrooms) reported having non-degree post-graduate education.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, May 25, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Inner-city counselling services get shot in the arm

alteroo — 2008-05-19T04:00:00Z

The American Friends of Jamaica have awarded US$9,000 to the Women's Resource & Outreach Centre (WROC) to support the promotion of its Health and Wellness programme, which includes counselling services, for 2008.

On Tuesday, May 13, the cheque was handed over to WROC Programme Manager and Counselling Psychologist Faith St. Catherine at the residence of the US Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson in Stony Hill, St. Andrew.

According to St. Catherine, "The funds will be used to provide counselling services free of cost to clients and to support community outreach on health and family life issues."

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Observer on Monday, May 19, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Observer website.

Women's Rights are human rights - Protection from harm or abuse

alteroo — 2008-04-21T04:00:00Z

Flair concludes its series on women's rights as discussed by the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Despite the passing of the Domestic Violence Act (1995) and its amendment (2004), gender-based violence against women physically, sexually and emotionally is still widespread.

Between 2002 and 2006, the number of cases at the Victim Support Unit (VSU) doubled. In over 70 per cent of acts of violence against women, such as rape and carnal abuse - half the victims are children under 16. (Women's Media Watch - Looking Out. Vol. 3#1. May 2007.)

The August 2006 report on Jamaica of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, thirty-sixth session, noted with grave concern the extent, intensity and prevalence of violence against women, especially sexual violence, in Jamaica.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Monday, April 21, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Gleaner website.