Strength through
community & faith.

For over ninety years,  The Bahamas YWCA has had a steady  stream of women and men in the community who have given of themselves in both great and small undertakings in order to create programs to meet community needs.

The idea of a YWCA in The Bahamas was birthed by a woman who had every excuse not to involve herself in community service.  You see, she was a widow and when her husband died, he left her with eight children to raise.  To find employment, she left the country to work as a housekeeper in the United States.  In spite of adversity, it was still her desire to do a good work in the community.  Upon her return to The Bahamas, she gathered together a group of men and women and simply gave them the name YWCA.

Mother Frances Butler’s story is among the fascinating stories of  civic minded persons who, through the decades, came together to render deeds of charity and goodwill.       Eighty-five years later, we continue to explore the need for supports and services to assist persons in the community.  Our commitment to better life opportunities for people in the country has enabled   the work of the YWCA to continue throughout the ages.

We are grateful for the efforts of our members and friends to secure property, construct buildings, generate revenue streams, cultivate lush gardens and create Y programs  and all of this for the benefit of present and future generations.  We remember also the many women who sold cakes, suppers and tickets  in an effort to pay the bills and keep the “Y” alive through both sunshine and stormy weather.

We give thanks for the women and men of today who have stepped up to the plate to continue in the grand tradition of this international organization that is at work in over 100 countries throughout the world.  We thank God that the Christian heritage of this local body in The Bahamas is still thriving.