Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) is one of the executing agencies within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour that focuses on the holistic development and continuous empowerment of people in the society and in particular the most vulnerable groups amongst us.
Community development is a continuous process whereby persons and groups are encouraged to actively participate in the available empowerment sessions in order for them to be strengthened and develop long term solutions for themselves and by extension the community where they reside and become socially and environmentally sustainable.
Vision:
To enhance the quality of living of the Sint Maarten population.
Mission:
To prevent socially deprived situations and to promote the general well- being of the society.
Main Goal:
To bring about positive change and to facilitate developments that will enhance the lives of the people and their communities, through social empowerment programs, district improvement programs and other existing services.
TASKS / RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Tasks/Responsibilities of the Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs Dept are:
- To collect, register, analyze and report data regarding the development in the various communities by means of neighborhood assessment.
- To support and co-execute policy with regards to target groups.
- To ensure community work by means of collaboration with community centers, community councils and/or NGO’s.
- To ensure community development in the various neighborhoods in Sint Maarten.
- To ensure community development programs by means of an integrated and neighborhood approach.
- The (co-) execution of informative and social educational empowerment programs.
- To ensure empowerment activities that will enhance the position of women within our society through a Women’s Desk.
- To submit critical points for the development of policy, laws and regulation pertaining to Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs.
SERVICES
Counseling, referrals, case management and assessments and the executing of empowerment programs which are carried out via the various Community Help Desks, Helpdesk for the Elderly and Disabled and women’s Desk. The programs on the other hand are mainly executed in collaboration with NGO’s, GO’s and Community Councils in order to ensure a wider community inclusion and to encourage community based participation for the identified programs.
Our services are being provided at:
Gaston Boasman Helpdesk for the Elderly & Disabled
Hope Estate Road #4,
Hope Estate, Upper Princess Quarter
Tel: (1721) 542-2802 / (1721) 542-2803 / (1721) 542-2804
Dutch Quarter Community Helpdesk
A.T. Illidge Road #278A,
Lower Princess Quarter (Former Dr. Bryson Clinic)
Tel: (1721) 547-4911 / (1721) 547-4357
St. Peters Community Helpdesk
St. Peters Road #31, (Rupert I. Maynard Community Youth Center)
Tel: (1721) 548-4633 / (1721) 548-4634
Cole Bay Community Helpdesk
Union Road, Cole Bay (Cole Bay Methodist Church)
Tel: (1721) 544-4340 / (1721) 544-4302
Women’s Desk
Hope Estate Road #4,
Hope Estate Upper Princess Quarter
(1721) 542-7940 / (1721) 520-1145 / (1721) 520-1146
Women’s Desk
Meeting the immediate needs of and tackling the various societal challenges confronted by many women and families in the society in the hope for them also to lead a more fulfilling and healthier life.
Empowerment is addressed by means of various programs and gatherings and equally on a one and one basis with women.