St. Lucian receives Commonwealth Point of Light Award

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]er Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has recognised Chelsea Foster, representing Saint Lucia, as the 73rd Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of her exceptional voluntary service leading mentoring programmes for disadvantaged girls.

Chelsea Foster is the founder of ‘Girls of A Feather’, a non-profit organisation that aims to empower young women and girls. Since launching the organisation in 2013 when she was just 17 years old, she has encouraged girls aged 10-18 to discuss the issues that affect them most, including gender-based violence, economic empowerment, and reproductive health. During their nine-month placements on her flagship “Girls with Goals” mentoring programme, the girls are paired with trained mentors who aim to boost their self-esteem. The Government of Saint Lucia recently named Chelsea “Youth of the Year” for her work supporting disadvantaged girls.

Commonwealth Points of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth. Each person recognised receives a personalised certificate signed by Her Majesty The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. Said Chelsea: “I would like to thank Her Majesty The Queen and the British High Commission for recognising the work and impact that ‘Girls of A Feather’ has had on young women and girls in Saint Lucia through our voluntary mentorship programmes. It is truly an honour to be receiving the Points of Light award on the group’s behalf and for my country. The receipt of this award is a major incentive and inspiration to continue creating opportunities for volunteers which allow them to become better advocates on gender issues while helping to shape the lives of marginalised youth in their communities.”