Hope for the Future 2.0

Hope for the Future is a youth-led, civil society-supported campaign by the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY), and HCC member organisations. Hope for the Future 2.0 took place across the region in 2025 – advocating for school nutrition policies.

Background

Activities

Barbados

The Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition Youth Advocates held a successful Hope for the Future 2.0 event at The George Lamming Primary School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. The event brought together the George Lamming School Community and other key stakeholders to celebrate the school’s prioritization of a healthy food environment. It was a powerful call for a robust enforcement of the school’s nutrition policies. Young students were directly engaged, and their voices were empowered.

Principal of George Lamming Primary School, Ronald Wilson, with students viewing the School Nutrition Policy sign board. (GP)

Media Coverage:

Barbados Today: George Lamming Primary Excels in Nutrition Policy

The Bahamas

On July 24th 2025, the Hope for the Future 2.0 Youth Forum was led by the Ministry of Health, the Healthy Bahamas Coalition in collaboration with the Healthy Caribbean Coalition and its youth arm, Healthy Caribbean Youth. Ms. Karissa Moss Saunders, Member, Healthy Caribbean Youth worked closely with the Healthy Bahamas Team to organize the event. The event brought together over 100 youth from across The Bahamas, the Ministers of Health and Education and other key stakeholders to have a focused conversation on the food environment in The Bahamas – the reality and the proposed solutions.

Overview: Hope for the Future 2.0 “From the Floor” segment

Media Coverage:

Bahamas Sunrise

Government of The Bahamas: Ministry of Health and Wellness launches Hope for the Future 2.0 on Healthy Eating in Young People

Jamaica

On April 30th 2024, the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Jamaica, Fi We Children and UNICEF Jamaica held a series of Health Chats at Mt. Nego Primary, Guy’s Hill Primary and Maggotty High to talk about the School Nutrition Policy! Hear directly from the team and students.

Group of advocates standing outdoors beneath organisation logos with a Hope for the Future banner promoting school nutrition policies
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DJIGl9QuAKw/

Montserrat

Seven colleagues stand side by side in a bright office room, posing together for a group photograph
On May 13th 2025, Dr. Tiffannie Skerrit hosted a follow up meeting on the status of the School Nutrition Policy in Montserrat with key representatives from the Ministries of Health and Education and other critical stakeholders including youth advocates. They discussed the local context, including the rise in overweight and obesity, the stakeholders that are needed to advance this policy area, existing programs and initiatives that can be leveraged and opportunities for collaboration.