Home to almost 47,000 people, St Kitts and Nevis are two small islands in the West Indies, located in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, St Kitts being the larger island of the two. Struggling with poverty, the two islands have been heavily focusing their efforts on poverty reduction, developing better social security, healthcare and education benefits, one of the most impactful programs being The Livelihood Improvement for Family Transformation (LIFT) program.

New and Improved

The LIFT Program in St Kitts and Nevis aims to replace the previous program, “Poverty Alleviation Program (PAP),” which the government made to relieve poverty within a specific region or country. Instead of simply supplying citizens with necessities and short-term solutions like the PAP Program, the LIFT Program set out to further reduce poverty by focusing on long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency. This newly developed program provides training that will further improve citizens’ skills that will help them sustain themselves while still offering direct financial assistance.

The previous PAP program helped close to 4,000 families, as of 2019. However, in just one year, the LIFT Program has already helped more than 4,300 households, making it a more impactful and effective program for low-income people in St Kitts and Nevis.

Better Lives for Families and Children

Child poverty is one of the most significant issues in St Kitts and Nevis, with 31% of children living in poverty. However, the LIFT Program is highly centered around family and child social benefits, working to reduce and prevent child poverty.

Prioritizing unemployed families, single parents, and those with disabilities, the LIFT Program in St Kitts and Nevis actively helps people provide for their families and create a safe and healthy environment for their children. By providing cash transfers, they open low-income families to more financial opportunities, like more nutritious food, easier access to high-quality health care, and better equipment for schooling.

Alongside daily financial assistance, the LIFT Program also provides aid during natural disasters or other emergencies where the family may need immediate financial help.

While adult poverty is not as widespread as child poverty, it is still a prevalent issue, with 17% of adults living in poverty. The ongoing family support from the LIFT Program helps adults get back on their feet, teaching them necessary life skills that will help them self-sustain and prevent their own downward spiral into poverty.

The Future of St Kitts and Nevis

The LIFT Program in St Kitts and Nevis is still new, only recently put in place to better the countries quality of life. However, with its continuous development and promising results, the program brings hope for those most in need. Alongside other social programs, improving education and healthcare, and the nation’s growing community, the LIFT Program will build a better future for families and children of St Kitts and Nevis.

– Sevyn Whatley

Sevyn is based in Fort Collins, CO, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr