Friday, March 29, 2024

Wednesday Woman: Dorial lending a hand

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Her group goes into communities making a difference in the lives of residents through “doing the simplest of things, in the simplest of ways”.
This week’s WEDNESDAY WOMAN, 48-year-old Doriel Gill-Skinner, is the founder and president of a community group with a difference. She is the driving force behind D G & S Productions, Community Care and Outreach Group.
During an interview with the MIDWEEK NATION she indicated that the members of the group do not make a fuss over what they do, because to them “it’s not about a publicity stunt.”
Nevertheless, the clerical officer and festival event assistant at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) explained why she started the group and the difference it was making to some Barbadians.
“In communities across Barbados I see many people who need help in different ways and aspects of their lives.
And from being involved in different charitable groups across Barbados, I listen to people saying, ‘We need to help people who need help, not only from our communities but communities all across the island’.
“To me, that’s a lot of talk because most times there’s no action.
Gill-Skinner said that “day in and day out” her observation was a constant bother to her and she was forced to listen to a voice in her head – that of a higher being, she stated – telling her, “Doriel you can do something to help people who need help”.
“I watch Aunty Olga and other active community groups trying to help persons but I know that they can’t reach all. So I decided to form this group to see if I can reach those who need to be reached but are not being reached.
“We go out into community groups across Barbados clearing and cleaning properties of older folks or anyone who is unable to do it themselves. We also give food items and clothing to families who we have identified as in need and cannot do any better . . .  Whatever they need, we pull our pockets and make it available for them once we can,” said the family-oriented mother of four and grandmother of four.
Gill-Skinner declared that if it was not passion she would not have been doing it or she would not have willingly put her heart and soul into it.
“I love helping people and I’m overjoyed when I help people who need help. What I’m doing is not something I got up and suddenly decided I would do. I waited on the reason for me to get up and start making a difference. I remember my contribution to making a difference started in 2003. In that year, I was involved in a workshop organised by the NCF called Tapp Work,”
“During that workshop, I saw that persons who were differently able were not involved in the National Festival of Creative Arts. So then I inquired as to why these persons were not involved in NIFCA. I was the told that the festival was opened to everybody. Through a censorship programme with the National Disabilities Unit, I went out to get persons who are differently abled involved in the arts,” she said.
This woman who is “always on the go” is also a member of the National Disabilities Unit, Barbados Citizens Band Radio Association, SAVE Foundation, St James Central District Emergency Organisation and a damage assessment officer for the Department of Emergency Management.
 

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