Eleven years ago Gaspard Henry started “Feed the Poor Ministry” to fulfill his passion to make a difference in the lives of the poor and less fortunate in Saint Lucia.
For those who know Henry, most will describe him as being humble and a devoted Christian. It was his faith in God that directed him to his current journey. In an interview with St Lucia Star back in 2013, Henry explained how the idea to start his organization came about. He said he had a dream at 3am one morning in 2006,
“I suddenly woke up from that dream where I heard the voice of God telling me that he wanted me to serve my country by feeding the poor”
Now 11 years later and Henry is still committed to that mission to help his fellow St Lucians. Although he has faces several challenges over the years, his organization continues to provide a warm meal to those in need. Henry is not a person who would take all the credit, he appreciates the contributions from ordinary St Lucians, many of whom have little themselves.
Two months ago ChoiceTV Mediazone featured Henry, here is what he had to say.
FACTS ABOUT OUR WORK IN ST. LUCIA
Gifts In Kind are an important component of Food For The Poor’s (FFTP) work in St. Lucia. The organization works with St. Lucia’s Archbishop’s House in assisting families in need. FFTP also works closely with Caritas with the distribution of goods in St. Lucia.
In the first six months of 2020, FFTP shipped 19 tractor-trailer loads of aid to the Caribbean nation, including:
- Agricultural tools
- Medical equipment
- Medical supplies
- Household items
- Computers
- Clothes
- Furniture
- Canned vegetables and meats and other foods
FFTP has established several self-efficiency projects in St. Lucia, which include beekeeping, tilapia and shrimp farming.
The charity built 20 greenhouses to assist 20 basic schools with their individual feeding programs. The goal of the initiative was to educate students about the multiple benefits of trees and reforestation.
- FFTP’s bee-farming program for the Pastoral Centre in Castries, St. Lucia, served as an income-generating project that provided employment for beekeepers and revenue from the sale of honey.
- Pastoral Centre Bee Farm Project Phase II served as an income-generating project that provided employment for beekeepers and revenue from the sale of honey.
- Pastoral Centre Greenhouse Gardening Project provided produce to offset expenses and generate income through the sale of the crops.
- St. Lucia’s Home Food Production Project was created to promote self-sustaining chicken farms and vegetable gardens to improve the nutrition levels of the home’s residents in Marchand. The project was intended to generate income that would help cover operational costs.
