Amidst the calming neutral hues of the Girls of a Feather (GOAF) headquarters, Chelsea Foster, 32, lays out her plans for 2025. Yet, in stark contrast to the serene setting, one thing becomes clear—championing gender-based progress is tough work.
In 2018, she became the 73rd Commonwealth Point of Light by Queen Elizabeth II but for the past decade, as Founder and Executive Director of GOAF, Foster has steered the nonprofit through the launch of several programmes—all designed to equip Saint Lucian girls with knowledge, connections, and support systems giving them a soft landing into adulthood. Her journey to this role, she says, was driven more by a natural passion for causes with lasting impact than by any predetermined path.
“I think I’m just a pragmatic person. I like to see systemic, sustainable processes implemented through the NGO sector, and there aren’t a lot of NGOs doing women and girl’s rights work here,” she says.
Beyond creating both literal and figurative safe spaces for girls, GOAF has also become a catalyst for their ambitions. Through its curriculum, the organisation provides access to Wi-Fi, counsellors, and mentorship in entrepreneurship and job hunting.
Sustaining this momentum, Foster says, requires broad and unwavering support—especially for initiatives aimed at tackling systemic issues head-on.
This year, GOAF will lay the groundwork to introduce Independent Child Protection Advisors to support victims of sexual assault as they navigate Saint Lucia’s judicial system. The initiative is modelled after the UK’s accredited Children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ChiSVA) program.
Backed by the European Union through a three-year pilot, this effort has the potential to strengthen both the judicial and human services landscape. Addressing a deeply entrenched issue that disproportionately affects girls could create lasting change—one that extends across generations.
“We will be able to track the outcome of cases with the help of IPAs, track the impact of mental health interventions of child sexual abuse victims, and track those referral pathways,” Foster says. “While the department of human services is responsible, there’s a roadblock between what they’re doing and the experience of the survivor. You hear about their frustration, but you don’t hear about the survivor’s experience through the criminal justice system… for me I want to illustrate that and show, for children, what that experience is like”.
Yet, as she shares the details, the 32-year-old speaks with a hint of hesitation. As an active advocate, she is no stranger to the challenges of working within the system.
“A lot happens in Saint Lucia in a very ad hoc way. There’s minimal monitoring and partnerships, so sometimes you feel like you’re working alone. I think that’s where my frustration lies… I know that there are a lot of girls who can benefit from what we’re trying to achieve, but if you don’t have an enabling environment, it makes it difficult,” Foster explains.
Not-for-profit work is often sustained by donors, but Foster believes real progress also requires collaboration. Alongside financial support, she hopes to connect with innovative, solution-oriented experts—both within government and non-government agencies—who can help implement initiatives like ChiSVA and other gender-based advocacy efforts.
Until then, GOAF pushes forward. Just as Foster has spent the past decade championing young girls, the potential long-term systemic and social impact of ChiSVA remains her driving force.
Watch more in the St Lucia Times International Women’s Day magazine here.
