The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted the Crochet for a Cause: Ridge to Reef project on Thursday 27 November at the NEMA Conference Room in Basseterre and continued the programme on Saturday 29 November at the Nevis Disaster Management Department in Charlestown. Forty participants created more than one hundred crocheted replicas of the marine environment for environmental awareness and conservation.
The project is designed to help communities understand how planet protection connects with culture, creativity, and livelihoods. It brings together the Orange Economy, which focuses on creative work and the advancement of cultural industries, and the Blue Economy, which supports sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources. This learning model helped attendees understand ecological concepts in a practical and accessible way.
Minister of Culture, Youth, Sports, Community Development and Telecommunications and Information, in the Nevis Island Administration, the Honourable Eric Evelyn stated “We know that our corals in particular are under threat and anything that can raise awareness in terms of restoration makes us very happy that you are doing this. We wish the initiative every success and we want to congratulate all who are here to be a part.”
During the opening ceremony, GEF SGP UNDP National Coordinator Ms. Ilis Watts noted that the project strengthens community engagement around environmental issues. “This initiative beautifully combines creativity, learning, and environmental action. This is where we see crochet and art can tell stories about coral reef protection. Environmental awareness can be practical, expressive, and, change, we know most often begins with creativity.”
Assistant Secretary in the Department of Cultural Heritage in the Ministry of Small Business, Entrepreneurship, Cooperatives and the Creative Economy Kesha Isaac-Adams explained, explained that crocheting is considered an element of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH). “The session here in Saint Kitts and Nevis will achieve its education, environmental, and awareness objectives. ICH has to do with aspects of our culture that we cannot touch and are passed down from generation to generation.”
Department of Marine Resources Officer Keedencia Harris presented on Saint Kitts and Nevis coral reef ecosystem noting that we can reduce single-use plastics, join cleanups, support reef-safe fishing and tourism and share marine knowledge as practical ways to keep our reefs healthy.
Saint Kitts participant Myah Rawlins noted “Personally, my father is a fisherman so I know a lot of what is going on. I made three fish in less than an hour and I liked the pattern. I really enjoyed this experience and it taught me a lot of stuff that I want to do in my classes personally. This is really my goal to turn crochet into something big.” Nevis participant Joalyn Myers said “Crochet for a Cause Nevis brought different people at different stages of crochet skills together. We bonded over colorful yarn and hooks as we indulged in replicating parts of the coral reef including corals, fishes, shells, and turtles. In addition we were reminded to protect our coral reefs. We all saw crochet in a different light with many more possibilities ahead.”
The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) is a corporate programme of the Global Environment Facility, implemented globally by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Since its inception, the SGP has supported thousands of community-based initiatives in over 120 countries, promoting local action in biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and mitigation. In Saint Kitts and Nevis the programme has been operational since 2013. Crochet for a Cause: Ridge to Reef is a regional project implemented by BYBT and facilitated by Elaine’s Caribbean Crochet Founder, Nikisha Toppin. The project has been hosted in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
