PRESS RELEASE
The National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD), through its brand extension NDFD Green, is making a further push for Green living and eco-friendly actions after successfully organizing and coordinating local events for Earth Hour in March with the observance of another global event called Earth Day this week.
Earth Hour was commemorated last March 26, 2022, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, with the NDFD management and staff trooping to the NDFD office in Great Marlborough Street in Roseau that Saturday night. NDFD Executive Director Cletus Joseph and the foundation’s Business and Entrepreneurial Development Manager Donald Bercasio hosted and moderated an open virtual meeting that was streamed live on the institution’s Facebook page. In the virtual meeting, the hosts engaged participants with discussions on climate change and other environmental issues and the actions that need to be urgently taken to address them. Representatives from the NDFD’s institutional partners for Earth Hour Dominica 2022, including the youth-owned WePlanet Inc, local manufacturers Bee Natural and Jaydee’s Naturals, and local non-profits Wild Dominique and Julie Roberts Foundation, were also present to reveal the activities that they organized for Earth Hour.
At exactly 8:30 pm, moderators and participants in the virtual meeting simultaneously switched off their lights in observance of Earth Hour, the second time Dominica had joined the rest of the world in that annual global event with the NDFD at the helm. Meanwhile, the NDFD staff had their lights-out activity as well at the foundation’s conference room by turning off the lights and lighting candles placed on the floor while forming the figure 60+, the international symbol of Earth Hour that stands for the 60 minutes in an hour with the Plus sign inviting people to keep on taking action to protect the planet even beyond the allotted hour.
As Earth Hour proceeded, NDFD management and staffers continued their environment-focused discussions with all participants in the virtual meeting. At the same time, over at the conference room, some of the staff members played board games, and premier visual artist Shadrach Burton painted in the dark.
While all those were happening, institutional partners like Cabrits Resorts and Spa Kempinski, Ka-Tai Restaurant, and JCI Dominica also had their lights-out activities.
The NDFD, supported by the local hiking group Next Level Hikers, and JCI Dominica were also out in separate locations to conduct tree-planting activities on the morning of that day.
In a Facebook post a few days later, the NDFD extended its gratitude to all its institutional partners who helped in the successful observance and the promotion of Earth Hour here in Dominica. Local personalities and influencers who sent videos of support that were published on the foundation’s social media platforms were also included in the thank-you note. These included the likes of the Hon. Cozier Frederick, Michele Henderson, Wayne “Mr. Benji” Benjamin, Abiyah Yisrael, Jodie Dublin-Dangleben, Jeanelle Brisbane, Julie Roberts, Natasha Labad, Ashfred Norris, Rianna Patterson, Dr. Damien Dublin, and many others.
As the NDFD rides on the wave of that success, the country’s foremost low-income household and small business-focused developmental institution advocate for more eco-conscious entrepreneurial and lifestyle choices by celebrating another internationally recognized event held every April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Earth Day was first observed in 1970.
The NDFD invites its clients, partners, supporters, and the public to celebrate Earth Day this Friday, April 22, by doing the following:
- Visiting the front of the NDFD building in Roseau from 10:00 am for a mini-exhibit that will showcase the NDFD Green informational booth, products developed by the alumni of the inaugural Green Innovations Summit, more green products from several of the NDFD’s partners including representatives from the Dominica Manufacturers Association, and a special Earth Day photo booth.
- Wearing Green and showing your support for Earth Day and its advocacy.
- Tuning in from 10:00 am to the NDFD’s Facebook page and participating in a virtual symposium on the Green movement amongst small businesses and manufacturers. This is another activity being implemented in collaboration with the Dominica Manufacturers Association.
The NDFD encourages everyone to reach out to them for more information on these activities via the following avenues:
Email: ndfd@cwdom.dm
Telephone: 275-5251
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NDFD.LTD