Parents in Anguilla will now receive additional support through a programme offering free kits filled with essential items for newborn babies.
The FirstStarts Essential Baby Kits initiative was officially launched on 13 November with speeches and a handover ceremony.
Glenneva Hodge of GLH Productions, the non-profit organisation behind the project, presented the first kits to the Department of Health Services for distribution.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward in supporting families across Anguilla and ensuring every newborn receives the care and attention they deserve from the very start,” she said.
GLH Productions, driven by its mission to empower women and enrich communities, developed the FirstStarts programme to help families navigate the early stages of parenthood.
“Through this initiative, we are committed to… ensuring that no child or parent is left behind,” Hodge said.
Inspired by Finland’s baby box programme, the organisation carefully curated the kits to include the essentials needed during the first few months.
Each kit contains vital items such as diapers, wipes, clothing, blankets, towels, hygiene kits and more, ensuring that every baby has an equal and healthy start.
“These kits are a symbol of equality and care, reinforcing our belief that every child, no matter their background, deserves the best start in life,” Hodge said.
GLH Productions projects that it will distribute more than 100 kits to families of newborns in Anguilla over the next year.
“The impact of this initiative is not only financial, but emotional. It is our investment in stronger families, healthier babies and a brighter future for our island,” Hodge said.
The project is funded by an EC$50,000 government grant, alongside private donations from individuals and other non-governmental organisations.
Premier Ellis Webster, who also serves as minister of health, said he was “overjoyed” to support he project.
“The Anguilla Progressive Movement’s vision is that a healthy society looks out for its elderly and its very young, the most vulnerable,” he said.
“And I thought that this was in keeping with our vision and and our view for an Anguilla reimagined.”
Quincia Gumbs-Marie, Minister of Sustainability, Innovation and the Environment, described partnering with GLH Productions in this initiative as an honour.
As a mother of a four-month-old baby, she said she understood the joy and expense of bringing a child into the world.
She called the kits “a good stepping stone” which allows parents to have the fiscal space to make further investments to create a safe and healthy home for their families.
Watch the launch in full below:
