The Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SLWA) was founded in 1950 by a group of deeply passionate women dedicated to providing for our nation’s most vulnerable. Over the years the association has engaged in numerous projects and initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering those most in need.
In the spirit of the 2024 International Women’s Day theme “Inspire Inclusion”, we are honoured to highlight two of our most impactful projects focused on uplifting our nation’s women.
Handbag Project
The annual Handbag Project was born out of the desire to honour and support women who have made the incredibly difficult decision to leave abusive relationships and rebuild their lives. Started in 2020, the project is aimed at uplifting the spirits of abused women by reminding them of their value, beauty and place in society by providing them with fully stocked handbags.
For the last three years, our membership has donated new, or gently used handbags filled with items such as lotions, soaps, sanitary products, make-up, perfumes and other small luxuries. These handbags are provided for distribution to The Shelter and other organisations that support women who are victims of domestic violence.
The Handbag Project has become a much beloved one by our membership and continues to grow year by year. Its success serves as a testament that sometimes it is the smallest things that can fill the weariest hearts with hope.
Period Panty Project
As a women’s organisation, we believe that no girl should be excluded due to her inability to access menstrual products. Statistics show that 20 per cent of women in T&T do not have the funds to afford menstrual products. For young girls, this often results in them being forced to miss out on school and other social activities. In efforts to combat period poverty, we teamed up with Rentokil Initial to purchase and distribute reusable period panties to our nation’s young women in need.
The Period Panty Project was launched in 2023 and successfully outfitted 150 school-aged girls with five pairs of reusable cotton menstrual panties each, to ensure they would not be excluded from their daily activities due to their period. Although still in its infancy, we are committed to the growth and longevity of this much-needed initiative.
The SLWA continues to support our nation’s most vulnerable women whether through our speciality projects or by fulfilling individual requests. We routinely work with many of our nation’s most influential woman-focused organisations such as the Single Mothers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Women of the Soil, and The Shelter.
As an organisation established and run by women, the causes and initiatives to improve women’s lives in our nation hold a special place in our hearts. Through our work, dedication and passion for helping others, we stand proud in knowing we are taking an active role in the upliftment of women in T&T.