Self defence for Sisters

Therefore, at the last My Sister’s Keeper workshop by the Soroptimist International Newtown (SI NT), teenaged girls shared their experiences and were given safety, and self-defence tips.

“This particular one we decided to host because of the current climate of missing girls and increased violence against women. We wanted to have something where the girls could openly discuss, and gain some tips on safety and ways, specific to their age group, that they could protect themselves or another victim,” explained SI NT president, Nneka St Rose.

She told Sunday Newsday over 40 girls attended, about twice as many participants as was usual for the workshops. Held at the Ministry of Community Development in St Ann’s the girls learned basic safety tips, especially as many of them take public transportation.

These included paying attention to their surroundings instead of being on their phones, the best place to sit in a taxi, and safe actions when someone drives up to ask for directions.

In addition, St Rose said Margaret Sampson-Browne, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, urged the girls to value themselves and to not allow their worth to be dictated by others. And to end the workshop, Master Cheryl Ann Sankar, former taekwondo Olympian, showed the girls various taekwondo moves for self-defence and how to escape an attacker.

That edition of My Sister’s Keeper was the fourth in the last year and a half. The first focussed on personal development, the second on non-traditional careers and the third on health and well-being.

St Rose explained that SI NT was one of six Soroptimist International clubs in the country and was the youngest, not only because it was started only seven years ago, but the members were the youngest as well. She said Soroptimist International aimed at educating, enabling and empowering young women by equipping them with skills and techniques to navigate life issues.

Their chapter chose to focus on teenaged girls, ages 12 to 16.

Sophia House on Park Street, Port-of-Spain, was one of its flagship projects. Initially, the members worked with the girls on a one-on-one basis but expanded the project to a workshop series where the girls could interact with secondary school students. Now, SI NT has developed relationships with several schools and homes for girls.

In addition to the workshop, St Rose said the group also hosts an annual poetry competition for World Literacy Day.

It also co-ordinates a Christmas Caravan, delivering necessary items to selected children’s homes.

Last year they decided to “switch things up” and SI NT liaised with one Santa Cruz councillor and instead helped three families in need.

Based on feedback, she said she believed the club was making an impact on girls and the country’s population in general, and she hoped it would be able to do even more in the future.