Black Bess Resource Centre • Bush Hall Resource Centre • Community Centres • Grazettes Resource Centre • Little Libraries • Trents Community Centre
Four new Little Libraries Installed at Community Centres
June 5, 2025
After being closed for almost a year for refurbishment the Trents Community Centre in St James has been reopened and outfitted with spanking new air-conditioned facilities, as well as a new ‘Little Library’.
Trents, was one of four ‘Little Libraries’ installed at community and resource centres across Barbados recently through the Community Development Department’s partnership with the Prince Godwill D. Fomusoh Foundation (PGDFF) and Massy Foundation.
The Barbados is Blooming project is a community-based literacy island-wide initiative, that seeks to inspire and provide easy access to children within communities through the installation of ‘Little Libraries’ at community centres. Tuesday, May 27th and Wednesday, May 28th saw the installations and official openings of the libraries at Trents Community Centre, St. James, Bush Hall Community Centre in St Michael, Grazettes Community Centre, St Michael and Black Bess Community Centre in St Peter. Additionally, the four centres also received two computers each, sponsored by Republic Bank, to provide additional technology access..
Speaking at Trents, Acting Deputy Chief Community Development Officer, Kay Hinds lauded the installation of the ‘Little Libraries’, noting that they will encourage children across the island to engage more in reading. In this regard she congratulated the Prince Godwill D. Fomusoh Foundation and Massy Foundation for the ‘Little Libraries’ Project and its contribution to literacy in Barbados. “This is the kind of work that the Community Development Department is known for, as it cements the relationship with the PGDFF/Massy Foundation which is greatly appreciated at this time, Ms Hinds remarked.
Principal of the St James Primary School, Deborah Howell said “the installation of the Little Library at Trents is timely in the era of educational transformation”. She posited that the presentation of reading material and electronic devices is important, since they play a key role in our current school environment.
Joining acting Deputy Chief Community Development Officer Hinds in encouraging the use of the library and centre, Principal Howell urged the students, members of the Trents community and surrounding neighbourhoods “to take full advantage of the resources at their fingertips, to assist them in their educational development”.
Founder of the PGDFF, Prince Godwill thanked the Massy Foundation for donating over 200 thousand dollars to ensure the success of the Little Libraries Project, since its launch in Barbados in 2023. He stated that the four newly installed Little Libraries have brought the total number of libraries installed at schools, community and resource centres across Barbados to 21.
Prince Godwill urged children and residents of communities to fully utilise the books saying “knowledge is power,” whilst thanking the CDD, Barbados and the Massy Foundation for embracing the project.
It is envisaged that the presence of the Little Libraries will encourage more reading among children in the communities whilst strengthening literacy levels in Barbados.
Among those present at the installations were Gillian Corbin of the Massy Foundation, Anita Sundaram, Dr. Uma Gaur and Rhea Greenidge of the PGDFF, Community Development Officers and Aides, as well as students and teachers from St. James Primary and Grazettes Primary schools.
The Little Libraries, Youth Advocacy Seminar Series and the Ann Hill Farm to Table Programme all fall under the Prince Godwill D. Fumusoh Foundation’s “Barbados is Blooming” Initiative which the Massy Foundation has been a generous partner, supporting the programmes with schools and the Community Development Department.
