ABOUT US
OUR Vision
To facilitate Eleuthera in becoming a thriving, inclusive, and equitable community-driven ecosystem for sustainable development, social empowerment, and economic ownership.
Mission Statement
To transform communities into thriving, successful, and scalable models of sustainable development and progressive change. We accomplish this through planning, strengthening, and connecting.
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- Planning and innovating for a sustainable future.
- Strengthening people, communities, key organizations, and partners.
- Connecting communities to knowledge, resources, and capital to effect sustainable development and progressive long-term change.
Who We Are
We represent a gathering of professionals and organizations that share a commitment to A Shared Vision for South Eleuthera, built on the responsible stewardship and development of our island’s many assets and resources.
Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) is an Eleuthera-based nonprofit birthed and powered by OEF. As the primary education and innovation arm of OEF, CTI’s mission is to develop students through technical training. CTI’s vision is to become the country’s leading institution for tertiary training and skills development, focused on driving local innovation and creating economic opportunities in areas critical to the sustainable development of Eleuthera and The Bahamas.
CTI’s three social enterprises include Farmer’s Table Restaurant, The Retreat Hotel and The Farm at CTI. Located at our Rock Sound campus and powered by OEF, these nonprofit operations provide hands-on industry training for students. Proceeds from our supportive customers help offset labor, food costs, and other direct expenses. Any excess proceeds are reinvested into operations and programs. Through offering various programs in agriculture, culinary arts, hospitality, and the construction trades, OEF and CTI are empowering and developing the island’s workforce.
Advocating for Our Island
One Eleuthera Foundation was formed in 2012 to protect our island from large-scale developments that would forever alter the pristine natural landscape, disrupt fragile marine and land ecosystems and further disempower our people by perpetuating the cycle of overdependency on foreign direct investment.
Our response was to unite and build a sustainable, equitable community development model, focused on the holistic well-being of those we serve. This model encompasses economic ownership, meaningful educational advancement, pathways to wellness, and environmentally sustainable communities centered around our island’s unique cultural identity.
We want to ensure that all Bahamians are participating, contributing, and benefiting from homegrown-driven commerce and a thriving economy while protecting our islands and heritage. We are united in building a sustainable, sound, and prosperous future for all.
The formation of One Eleuthera Foundation was inspired by “A Shared Vision for South Eleuthera.” This research document contained feedback gathered from a diverse cross-section of concerned community members and stakeholders from across Eleuthera. They put “heads and hearts together” to envisage new pathways to build a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive future. Created in 2010, it laid the groundwork for OEF’s programmatic approach to sustainable development around five key areas of focus: economy, education, environment, health, and heritage. It outlined a sustainable plan for Lighthouse Point and other special heritage and conservation sites on Eleuthera, and addressed areas of underdevelopment that continue to guide, inform and inspire the work of OEF and its partner organizations today.
Make an Impact
We are entering a new and accelerated phase of strategic growth, and are excited about the progressive projects underway that will have long-reaching positive impacts on both a local and national scale. Through these dynamic initiatives, we are creating sustainable growth, independence, economic empowerment, and new opportunities for people and our local communities to flourish. Join us in building a sustainable future for this and future generations to succeed.
