A radical change in the basic assumptions about and the approach to dealing with these children was highlighted as imperative by Assistant Director of Youth with the Ministry, Mr. Franklyn Lynch, if the children are to return to society and achieve their potential.
Among the items donated to NOC were:
* 1 fax machine;

* 1 photocopier;

* 1 projector;

* 650 yards of sheeting material;

* 12 electrical hand gloves;

* 48 safety helmets;

* 48 safety boots

* 1 fire extinguisher;

* 5 rechargeable lights;

* 5 torch lights;

* 5 water dispensers;

* 1 mini music system;

* 1 CD player;

* 2 extractor fans;

* 6 water coolers;

* 1 brush cutter;

* 3 DVD players;

* 3 televisions; and

* 15 computers.

Lynch said the donation is to be used in upgrading the facility and should not be seen as providing luxuries.

Some of the items donated to the New Opportunity Corps.

Minister Frank Anthony reiterated this and added that the initiative was another step by the Ministry to ensure that children’s homes, in this case NOC, meet minimum standards.
He stated that his ministry had done rehabilitative work on NOC dormitories at a cost of $51M, in addition to improving the educational and training capacity for the children there.

“The assistance helps them to get a skill to become employable to function in the modern world,” Minister Anthony said.

He added that irrespective of the fact that the facility is a correctional one, isolation will not help matters; instead efforts must be made to work with them so that they can be reintegrated into society.

The Minister pointed out that the donation of 15 computer systems was a “big advance” in terms of training and being equipped to become re-introduced to society.

An important point to note, Anthony said, was that 90 percent of the children at NOC are there because of “difficult circumstances.”

“What these children need is a safe and enabling environment that can make a difference in their lives,” he said.

Because of this, the children can be categorised as vulnerable.

To this end, Social Services Coordinator with MOH, Ms. Nafeza Ally, stated that facilities like NOC are a last resort for vulnerable children; but once there, in order to develop, they do not need a rigid institutionalised environment.

She added that the donation was prompted because establishments like NOC are experiencing difficulties in catering for the needs of the children in their care.

Ally explained that with this in mind, the Ministry of Health, under the Global Fund HIV/ AIDS Programme, is seeking to assist homes with the necessities to meet minimum standards which would enable children to return to society being able to contribute to it.