Toco Foundation Beneficiaries
To provide an opportunity for training of participants in a targeted project that reduces ‘slash and burn’ activities, preserve wildlife stock through the establishment of wildlife farming with a number of identifiable species, protection of existing biodiversity, use of organic farming and developing nature trails for eco-tourism purposes.
To strengthen gains made by the Young Farmers Training Institute and Ago Tourism Centre in the rural district of Toco , regarding our existing Turtle Protection Programme, Grow Box Production, Aquaculture Farming and development of Wildlife activities, as well as, expansion of training facilities and opportunities.
To expand the existing community based beneficiary programme through active participation in project development
View from Agro-Tourism Centre
The Toco Foundation is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which currently employs 65 people. It works with numerous agencies in pursuit of its objectives and to ensure that these have an appreciation of its needs. The Foundation also welcomes opportunities to collaborate and interact with like-minded community-based or charitable organisations.
Various Support Organisation Members
An excellent example of this type of multilateral co-operation was the highly successful October 1998 Toco Convocation which brought together some 300 representatives from government, UN agencies, community-based and cultural organisations with a view to consolidating the concept of community empowerment. The Foundation's initiatives have attracted worldwide attention with groups from the Caribbean, USA, Europe and elsewhere visiting the Foundation for training or informal discussions.
View of the Toco Lighthouse
Whilst the long-term aim is for projects to become self-sustaining, the Foundation continues to be somewhat dependent on external funding for the expansion of its projects. Its community business operations provide a sustainable approach to its continued survival.
The Foundation also encourages anyone who supports its goals and is interested in the development of the Toco region to become an individual member of the Foundation.
Vision StatementCreating an environment where people car develop themselves and their community by becoming economically stable, feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, valuing the natural and human resources of Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the Country.
Mission Statement
The Toco Foundation seeks to influence the communities it serves by providing comprehensive educational services in the area of literacy, computer science, communications and health. We provide a range of personal development services; sector focused economic development and environmental preservation programming.
We seek to partner with all aspects of our wider community and utilize the sharing of knowledge and the modeling of discipline and unity to achieve our broader vision of total, sustainable community development and environmental stewardship, for the Northeast region of Trinidad.
Our Projects
Acheivements
Mr. Micheal Als receiving the Humming Bird Award from President of the Republic of Trindad and Tobago - George Maxwell Richards
The Toco Foundation has trained approximately eighteen hundred and fifty nine (1859) persons over a seven year period in: - Computer Literacy – 935 persons; Radio Broadcasting and Journalism - 71; Peer Education, Parenting and Gatekeeping Methodologies - 81; Small Business Development/Management – 72; and Agricultural techniques - 700.
Many of these people are employed both within and outside of the organization. Moreover, our work and achievements are being adopted in many parts of the world as recognized ‘best practices’.
| 2006 | President’s National Award - The Humming Bird Medal - Gold in the sphere of Community Service |
| 2003 | Radio Toco 106.7 FM” – Won 1st Prize in Rural Communication awarded by IPDC/UNESCO |
| 2002 | Commonwealth Foundation Award for Action in HIV/AIDS (1st prize Internationally) Among Others |
| 2001 | Excellence in Health Journalism – PAHO Awards |
| 2001 | Commonwealth Foundation Award - 1st Prize for our HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention Programme |
| 2000 | Excellent in Health Journalism – PAHO/WHO |
| 2000 | Best Mass Media Campaign – Caribbean Media Awards |
| 2000 | Certificate of Appreciation – UCIP University |
| 1999 | Green Leaf Award (EMA) |
1997/8 |
Best Community Project/Radio Toco Chamber of Industries & Commerce |
| 1997 | For Community Motivation – Ministry of Community Development, Culture & Women Affairs |
Galera Point, TocoToco Foundation is situated in the centre of the County of St. David, commonly known as the Toco Region in the village of Toco. The Toco region is generally taken to include all the villages along the Toco Main Road from Matura to Matelot. Toco is situated in the beautiful North-Eastern corner of Trinidad, bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the North and by the Atlantic Ocean to the East.
Toco Fishing Depot
It lays 65 miles land route to the capital of Port-of-Spain, 22 miles by sea to our sister isle Tobago and one hour drive to our closest and shopping town, Sangre Grande.
The Toco Coast is a very diverse community with varying socio-economic and cultural ingredients. These ingredients have influenced the attitude and behaviour of the people, both adults and youths.
The Toco Region has a population of approximately nine thousand five hundred (9500) The area is a representation of ethnic diversity with 46.2% of the population being African descent, 13.8% of East Indian descent, 0.1% Caucasian, 0.2% Chinese and 39.9% described as Mixed.
Some agencies that help us to help our community: