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ON October 11, the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, exuded elegance, pride, and emotion as the Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association of TT (SLWA) celebrated its Diamond Jubilee Gala, marking 75 years of service, sisterhood and faith. The event was attended by President Christine Kangaloo her husband Kerwyn Garcia, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles, Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon, Honorary Consul to Syria Marwan Yousef, and Amir Haidar, Honorary Consul to Lebanon, members of the clergy, dignitaries and hundreds of guests who gathered to honour the association’s remarkable legacy. A night of celebration and reflection In a news release on October 20, president of the SLWA Genevierve Hadeed welcomed guests with a heartfelt address, reminding all that the celebration was not merely about marking time, but about honouring a journey. “We are not merely marking a milestone; we are honouring 75 years of service, faith, culture, sisterhood, and community,” she said. “Our founders were not handed a blueprint for success, they built this Association with courage, conviction, and compassion.” The Gala coincided with the season of Divali, a fitting symbol for an organisation. “Even the smallest light can dispel the deepest darkness,” Hadeed reflected, drawing a parallel between the Divali message and the SLWA’s enduring charitable work. The evening was as elegant as it was meaningful, a masterful blend of cultural pride and philanthropic purpose, where guests celebrated not only the grandeur of the night but the heart behind it. From the living room to a legacy In her speech, Hadeed shared the origin of the association, one that began humbly in 1950, in the living room of sisters Venus and Minerva Sabga. From making sandwiches in home kitchens to funding major national service projects, the SLWA grew from a handful of women to a membership of over 500 women today. Its impact has been vast, supporting education, feeding programmes, housing relief and medical assistance for decades. Among its milestones, the association’s history includes donating the first prosthetic limb in the Caribbean, establishing long-standing partnerships with institutions like the Lady Hochoy Home, and most recently, launching projects such as the Baby Tub Drive, Backpack Project, Period Panty Initiative, and the Handbag Project. Faith, family and the future Over the decades, the SLWA has served as both a charitable organisation and a cultural anchor for the Syrian Lebanese community keeping traditions alive while embracing progress and inclusion. Hadeed acknowledged the intergenerational thread that binds the association’s members: “From our mothers’ hands to ours and, God willing, into the hands of our daughters, this association is more than an organisation. It is a torch passed carefully from one generation of women to the next: a rite of passage, a living legacy, and a testament to strength and compassion.” She also credited the younger generation of women for bringing new energy and ideas, ensuring the association remains relevant in a changing world: “They did not simply inherit a mission, they reimagined it.” Honouring the builders and the dreamers The gala was not just a look back, but a call forward, to continue serving with faith and unity. In a poignant close, Hadeed expressed gratitude to all who made the celebration possible, from sponsors and members to the husbands, brothers, and sons who stood beside them. “If our beginnings were humble, if our founders could do so much with so little, then what more can we do, united as 500 women, backed by this incredible community?” she asked. “We can give more. We can serve more. We can build more. We can leave a legacy not only for our daughters and granddaughters but for TT itself.” As the evening came to a close, guests left with more than memories of fine food and decor – they left inspired by an enduring message: that charity, in all its beauty, is held to be a sacred duty. From October 14-18 the association celebrated with a display of the history of what the SLWA’s work and achievements have been over the past 75 years. A Journey through 75 years of the Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association was held at Killarney (Stollmeyer’s Castle), Port of Spain.
