The morning sun shone brightly over the National Sports Centre as two powerful forces in our community — BELCO and SCARS (Saving Children and Revealing Secrets) — came together in a shared mission: to protect Bermuda’s children.
Standing proudly beside a new sign that reads, “Every child is a treasure. Be a light in their life, value them, teach them, and protect them,” BELCO’s Wayne Caines spoke from the heart about why this partnership matters so deeply.
“We are privileged to partner with SCARS,” said Caines. “For the last 14 years, Brendalee White shared SCARS has trained over 14,000 people — parents, teachers, coaches, community leaders. They’ve filled a void in our community, bringing awareness and accountability to something that for too long was hidden in silence.”
The National Sports Centre — a place where children and families gather to play, grow, and dream — is now home to this meaningful sign, serving as a daily reminder that protecting our children is everyone’s responsibility.
BELCO, which represents nearly 300 families through its employees, is committed to creating safer spaces not just at work, but across the island.
“Before SCARS, many of us knew there were dark secrets in our community — things that were whispered about but rarely discussed,”Caines shared. “Through their work, SCARS has given us language, training, and courage. They’ve made our community safer, and they’ve given our children a voice.”
SCARS has been a pillar in Bermuda for over a decade, offering training that helps adults recognize, prevent, and respond to child sexual abuse. Their next phase, launching in 2026, will expand to address new challenges — including the risks children face online, on social media, and through AI-driven platforms.
“We’re preparing to meet the world our children live in today,” said a SCARS representative. “Technology is changing fast, and so must we. From ages four to eighteen, we teach parents and guardians what to look out for — how to have tough conversations, how to stay engaged, and how to make safety part of everyday life.”
But beyond the formalities of partnership and training, this day carried a deeper message — one of community action and compassion.
Caines shared that after hearing a recent plea from a local mother who felt her community had let her family down, as her daughter Ja’Dore Wilson has been for over three and a half weeks he was moved to act.
“It really hit me,” he said. “I couldn’t just sit back. I called my team, and we’re organizing the community to step up — to search, for Ja’Dore and to support, and to be part of the solution. We must do more. We must protect our children together.”
His words echoed a sentiment shared by many in attendance — that Bermuda must return to its roots as a close-knit, caring community where everyone looks out for one another said Brendalee White.
“Bermuda needs to get back to being Bermuda,” she said. “Where we don’t just turn a blind eye. Where we act. Our children are our future, and they deserve nothing less.”
As the partnership between BELCO and SCARS officially launched, the message was clear: protecting children isn’t just an organizational goal — it’s a community calling.
Every child is indeed a treasure, and together, Bermuda is taking another step forward to ensure that treasure is cherished, valued, and protected.
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