PHILIPSBURG:--- After 4 years and 7 rounds of financing for local non-profit organizations, the Resources for Community Resilience (R4CR) program is coming to an end. The R4CR program includes a grant scheme as funding mechanism for community and social rehabilitation initiatives on Sint Maarten and also focuses on improving the capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) in reconstruction and resilience activities post hurricane Irma.
The final conference (themed “The 4-year journey of St. Maarten’s Social Reconstruction”) was held on Friday, October 25th, in the ballroom of Simpson Bay Resort and was attended by over 150 persons. Among the many guests and CSOs were the honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, the Governor His Excellency Ajamu Bailey, MP Darryl York, VNG International Program Director Elger Vermeer, Wilfred Muller on behalf of the representation of the Netherlands in Philipsburg, World Bank Program Director Toyin Jagha, World Bank Task Team Leader Alex Kamurase, and NRPB representative Thijn Laurensse.
The official part of the program started with a steelpan rendition of the St Maarten Song by Jabari York of the Dow Musical Foundation (one of the grant recipients). The welcome address was given by VNG International Program Director Elger Vermeer who also gave some insight into the long journey the program took from 2018 to the official inauguration in July 2020 and onward to the official closing of the program in March 2025.
In his speech, the honorable Prime Minister, Dr. Luc Mercelina, acknowledged the important role R4CR played during the 4-year implementation period and the added value of the program in assisting the country in rebuilding after Hurricane Irma and the COVID pandemic. He thanked each team member individually for a job well done.
Wilfred Muller, who spoke on behalf of the representation of the Netherlands in Philipsburg, gave a brief outline of the role his organization played in support of the program, and the impressive impact made.
Alex Kamurase, the Task team Leader for the World Bank on the R4CR program elaborated on the work that was done from designing the project to full implementation and the role the World Bank played in ensuring that the funds were managed in accordance with international standards.
The program results were jointly presented by R4CR past Team Leader Rolf Hunink and present Team Leader Steve Duzanson. Mr. Hunink described the early days of project implementation during COVID and the need for showing results on the short term. The first two rounds of R4CR financing were aptly called “quick win“ rounds and were meant to show proof of concept but also convince the CSO community that quick results are possible with limited time and funding.
Mr. Duzanson presented the key performance indicators: 60 CSOs executed 91 projects over 7 rounds of financing with over 15,000 direct beneficiaries.
R4CR also partnered with Foresee Foundation/NPOwer to offer 60 different workshops to CSOs during the project period to improve their capacity.
The R4CR program exceeded all the targets that were set by the World Bank and the program has received the much coveted “satisfactory” rating from the institution accordingly.
Mr. Duzanson also stood still by the birding platform, a very successful R4CR project which was implemented by the Nature Foundation in collaboration with VROMI and other partners. The recent destruction of the mangroves next to the birding platform (by the roundabout on Suckergarden Road) has severely impacted the function of the platform and the authorities present at the conference were urged to take action against the perpetrators.
R4CR has always been about the CSOs, and at the closing conference 6, grant recipients had the opportunity to give a short presentation about their project and showcase their end results:
The venerable Patsy Flanders of Home Away From Home Foundation (HAFHF) kicked off the presentations by explaining the activities that R4CR financed for 110 seniors and made a passionate plea for continued support to improve the quality of life for seniors.
The Dow Musical Foundation (DMF) gave a short musical treat followed by a video address from Mighty DOW, who is currently in Ghana teaching the art of steelpan. He discussed the school steelpan project in which over 140 children participated.
The National Sports Institute (NSI) was also a R4CR grant recipient and the new Director Jisk Goslinga gave an outline of the pool repairs at the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex that benefitted 750 persons who use the facility monthly and the stadium lights that were repaired at John Cooper Jose Lake Ballpark that host some 400 athletes on a monthly basis.
The National Institute of Arts (NIA), who executed the Total Theatre project with 165 kids, got the crowd moving with an improv session lead by Co-Director Loes Nauta. Through Total Theatre kids were able to experience the different art forms, discover themselves and receive support where needed.
Stichting Building Bridges Saving Lives’ (SBBSL) Director Orlando Geysner explained their grassroots approach to sexual reproductive health and how they reach teenagers, migrants, and sex workers with vital information, advice, and support.
Mrs. Marva Sam, director of the COME Center received a grant for teaching youngsters the (lost) art of sewing. Together with their sewing instructor, the proud youngsters presented their self-made fashion that wowed the crowd.
CIFSEF, the institute for social learning founded by WIFOL’s Theophilus Thompson and managed by Ashma Berkel, received a grant for teaching adults new skills such as working with computers, cake baking, snack making and sewing. Some of the sewing students were also on hand to exhibit their creations such as bath caps, oven mittens and aprons.
The conference ended on a high note with the “CSO playground,” whereby organizations were given a poster board and a stand to tell the story of what they did in a creative manner. This lively and interactive session was open to all and attracted over 40 grant recipients eager to share their stories, experiences and successes. To properly close off the program, there was an additional fun day hosted the following day, with multiple CSOs participating in a scavenger hunt throughout Philipsburg, where they vied against each other in their CSO-based knowledge and skills. It is a fun, interactive way to close off the program and share more knowledge on the differing CSOs and the impact they make on a daily basis.
The R4CR program is financed by the Government of the Netherlands via the Sint Maarten Trust Fund. The Trust Fund is administered by the World Bank and monitored by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB). The R4CR program is being implemented by VNG International.
For more information about the R4CR program or a detailed review of all R4CR projects, please visit www.r4cr.org or the Facebook page (R4CRSXM).
