Sisterhood Agenda Hurricane Irma Relief St. John

Upon our most recent visit to the SEA:  Sisterhood Empowerment Academy on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, we are struck by how well our building repairs are going.  In general, things are looking better for everyone on the island. Great news!

Sisterhood Agenda’s recovery process was initially very slow (along with most individuals, agencies, and businesses) due to serious damage to St. John’s communication systems and the fact that the island is small with no manufacturing and few local resources on the island.  All supplies and materials need to be imported and when communications were down, stores were not stocked, and it was difficult to receive both emergency and non-emergency supplies. 

After many months of inactivity and infrastructure repairs all over the island, our Sisterhood Agenda team members are at a place of rebuilding and recovery that demonstrates the resilience of our organization and the original eco-construction process.  Sisterhood Agenda is making it happen through our commitment, perseverance, and with help from people like you.

Thanks to our builder, Vincent Powell, Sisterhood Agenda’s building withstood three major hurricanes (Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose, and Hurricane Maria), subsequent tropical winds and lots and lots of rain.  While our roof and exterior walls were damaged, they were damaged by the debris from neighboring buildings that crashed into our building.  

The building itself is very strong, creating a remarkable foundation for rebuilding.  The exterior walls have been put back in place, along with most of the roof.  Appropriate building code and storm mitigation procedures have been followed in detail to ensure maximum strength in time for this current hurricane season (currently underway) and subsequent hurricane seasons.   

 Visually, the property is starting to look like it did before the storms.  We give thanks and praises.

With hurricane relief and recovery, most people tend to focus firstly on the people affected, then, the state of the physical buildings and thirdly, the state of local organizations. Often overlooked in the hurricane recovery process, is the health of the organization itself.  Like all health issues, it is holistic:  physical, mental, spiritual. 

Sisterhood Agenda is in the business of helping people, specifically, educating, supporting and empowering women and girls.  Working schedules and behavior, lifestyles, branding, marketing, programming, service delivery, products, outreach, and goal fulfillment have all been disrupted by the hurricanes.  Important legal documents, historical paperwork, awards, program files, supplies, materials, along with furniture and furnishings have also been destroyed. Many of these items were unique, one-of-a-kind artifacts. As a result, Sisterhood Agenda is in need of replacement and/or appropriate substitutions, not simply for tangible goods, but also for more intangible ways of fulfilling our mission. 

Importantly, funding streams have also been disrupted with real revenues lost. How long can a company function when it sits in the dark? After several months of sitting in the dark, how does the agency recover when the lights come back on?  When services begin again, what does it look like?  How can an organization restart business as usual when the business environment is highly unusual?  What happens to the 3-year or 5-year business strategy?  How can we re-create stability?

These are just some of the issues that we are facing now.  With climate change and increased incidences of more extreme weather events, we have to ask serious questions about the direction of the agency and the capacity of the SEA:  Sisterhood Empowerment Academy to fulfill its original purpose in the U.S. Virgin Islands and around the globe. What does it take to make us whole and productive again?

Remaining flexible and adaptable with purpose and re-purpose is key to managing any chaotic business environment.  The massive impact of these natural disasters should not be underestimated.  At Sisterhood Agenda, we are confident that we will position ourselves in a way to provide optimal services to as many women and girls as possible while minimizing risks to maintain organization stability. 

We have asked for your assistance and solicited input from our constituents to assess need and what you want most from Sisterhood Agenda.  We have a long history, almost 25 years serving women and girls.  I am happy to state that we are still here.  Thank you for all that you have done to support us in all times-great, challenging, and all of those wonderful times in-between.

 With Gratitude,

Angela D. Coleman
Founder & President