On March 24, the Successful Women on Toward Self-Reliance (SWOT)Programme - championed and funded by Neal & Massy Wood Group and geared toward the development of at-risk women in the Mayaro community - was featured in the Trinidad Express.  See the article below: 

Women taking control in Guayaguayare 

By By Afiya Ray 

Story Created: Mar 24, 2012 at 12:36 AM ECT  

Story Updated: Mar 24, 2012 at 12:36 AM ECT  

There is a buzz that has started among the women in the Mayaro and Guayaguayare communities about an outreach programme targeting female empowerment and self development. 

This programme, Successful Women On Towards Self Reliance (SWOTS), is by no means a new one, as it is an initiative that has been championed by its sponsor, the Neal & Massy Wood Group since 2008. However, it has earned such rave reviews in the past four years that many young women in the community are clamoring to sign on to the programme. 

In an interview with Express Woman recently, Programme Coordinator Dalia Watson, a community liaison officer with Neal & Massy Wood Group, said SWOTS was designed as an outreach programme to target young single mothers, adolescent females and mothers of adolescent females. She said the programme proposes to promote and offer learning experiences which facilitate empowerment, self development and self reliance. 

"The objective is to empower women to take control of their lives as well as their children and to utilize new ideas which meet the needs of a changing community," Watson said.  

To date she said the programme, which has taken the form of workshops, seminars and training initiatives, has helped women to build higher levels of self esteem and develop a positive awareness of themselves; to pursue academic development and seek career growth; develop interpersonal skills and to embrace change allowing them to take on new roles within their families and their community.  

"More women in these communities are now empowered to take an active role in positive community development," she said proudly. 

The SWOTS Programme was started in April 2008 and executed in developmental phases. Today, SWOTS consists of a leadership team, which includes Watson as the Programme Coordinator, three administrators and five executive members. 

The administrators, Bernadette Fonrose, Carol Murray and Alda Suzano are required to participate in conduct house to visits and build collaborative relationships with women in the community, to participate in and lend support at the sessions and ensure full attendance by all participants. The Executive Members support this role. 

"SWOTS is a versatile programme that has been developed to meet the needs of every woman," Watson explained. "For mothers with young children, we also have child care assistants who are required to oversee their children and create a curriculum to promote child development while the mothers participate in the SWOTS programme. 

The feedback for the programme in the community has been positive. 

President of the SWOTS Executive Committee, Mahalia Richardson is a self-employed seamstress. 

She said, "This programme really built my self-esteem. I feel very proud today. 

I am pursuing my dream and, with a little help, I am sure to open my own business one day at a professional level. I am really good at doing things with my hands and by attending the programme I have built the confidence to share my talent and skills in my community." 

Sandra Edwards said the programme also helped her to pursue her academic development. 

"I am someone who can achieve anything that I set out to do," she smiled. "I am a proud graduate of the ALTA programme which allows me to take an active role in my children's education. By participating in the programme, I learnt to face my fears and control my emotions in a positive way. I have also taken the step to become employed to assist my family. I began as a laborer and was promoted to a Fire Watch on the N.G.C. Neo–Tobago Pipeline Project with a subcontractor." 

Mayaro resident, Beverly Rollingson said, "I joined this programme because of its nature. I am a resident of Mayaro and have never heard or seen this type of programme being offered here. I must say that it is well structured to address the needs of women in my community. I always encourage the young folk to get themselves involved in things that will benefit you in the long run. I saw the opportunity to learn, share and communicate with different cultures with the women in my community." 

Rollingson said after participating in the programme, she was encouraged to approach her employers in a professional manner which brought rewards.