Sourced Information: SKNIS
Yakima Daniel, Fashion Designer and Owner of Kiwie Dan, won a UN WOMEN bid to produce 500 cloth masks for vulnerable groups in St. Kitts and Nevis. The masks were officially handed over to Mrs. Celia Christopher, Director of Gender Affairs, at the Department of Gender Affairs in St. Kitts, on October 8, 2020.
Through the initiative, the UN WOMEN hopes to capture visibility on this initiative as it promotes its work on economic empowerment that is an integral part of its COVID-19 response around the region.
“I applied for the bid and then the UN WOMEN contacted me about producing the masks and the specifications required. A few weeks later, UN WOMEN contacted me to tell me I would have won. I was shocked and surprised that I won it. As the communication flowed between us, everything got set up,” said an elated Ms. Daniel.
The cloth masks are made with three layers—outside is made with decorative cotton or plain cotton; inside has a built-in filter, and the innermost layer is a breathable poly-cotton.
“The mask should be washed at the end of each day or sprayed with an alcohol solution,” said Ms. Daniel.
Director of Gender Affairs, Mrs. Christopher, said that she was very pleased with the presentation of the cloth masks to the department through the UN WOMEN initiative.
“The Department of Gender Affairs has responsibility for raising awareness and advocacy on behalf of vulnerable groups. This afternoon we are here for the handing over of 500 masks as part of the COVID-19 response to vulnerable groups including the differently-abled, SK No Judgment, the Church, and the Rehoboth Women’s Center for Victims of Gender-based Violence,” said Mrs. Christopher.
At the handing over ceremony, the non-governmental vulnerable groups were represented by Mr. Joseph Bergan, President of the St. Kitts & Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities (SKNAPD), and Mrs. Mary Nurse-Clarke; Apostle Eugene Springette of the Temple Dieppe Bay and Rehoboth Women’s Center; and Marshalette Anthony, Medical Liaison and Vice President of SK No Judgment.
Mrs. Shinnel Charles, Senior Gender Officer, Mrs. Sharon Warner, Executive Officer, and Dion Brown, Gender Field Officer at the Department of Gender Affairs were also in attendance.
UN WOMEN is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN WOMEN was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.
UN WOMEN supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life.
