Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines – The Hub Collective Inc. has been awarded CAD $50,000 from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to expand its Healing Together programme across Union Island, Mayreau, Canouan, and Bequia. The seven-month initiative, running from August 2025 to February 2026, is designed to strengthen community resilience and provide gender-responsive, trauma-informed mental health support in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.
The expanded programme includes:
Psychological First Aid (PFA) training for first responders, educators, and community leaders.
Up to 80 one-on-one therapy sessions, both in-person and virtual.
Somatic and nature-based workshops, integrating body-based practices, journaling, storytelling, and environmental stewardship.
A national awareness campaign to reduce stigma and normalize mental health care, reaching Vincentians nationwide and within the diaspora.
Workshops and programming will begin in Union Island and Mayreau in October 2025, continue in Canouan in December, and conclude in Bequia in January 2026.
Jessica Jaja, Joint Project Manager of Healing Together, said:
“Healing Together is about building resilience and equity from the ground up. As a grassroots organisation based in Bequia, this grant allows us to provide continuity of support on each island and strengthen connections with mental health professionals nationally and across the diaspora.”
The initiative responds to the urgent mental health needs following Hurricane Beryl, which struck the Southern Grenadines on 1 July 2024, causing displacement, destruction, and long-term trauma. A pilot programme launched in mid-2025, in partnership with MindTHRIVE Co. and supported by Sol Relief, revealed strong community demand for counselling and safe spaces for holistic healing.
Holly Bynoe, Joint Project Manager of Healing Together, emphasized:
“Our islands cannot wait for care to be modelled from the outside. We must cultivate national autonomy and deliver programming that is transformative, compassionate, and deeply aware.”
Kimmette Robertson, founder of MindTHRIVE Co., added:
“The pilot was a powerful first step. This next phase will expand our reach, deepen support, and create safe spaces for holistic healing across the Grenadines.”
The CFLI funding also supports building sustainable, community-led systems of care, ensuring that mental health support continues beyond the project timeline.
Stephanie Sprott, Political Counsellor for the High Commission of Canada to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, said:
“This initiative demonstrates how locally led solutions can build resilience and promote healing in the face of climate catastrophe. By expanding access to trauma-informed mental health services and reducing stigma, we are empowering communities to thrive.”
About the Organisations:
The Hub Collective Inc. (Bequia) operates at the intersection of arts, healing, and the environment, promoting community resilience.
MindTHRIVE Co. (founded by Kimmette Robertson) provides trauma-informed mental health services tailored to the Caribbean.
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