A young Saint Lucian community advocate has earned high regional honors for her quiet, consistent commitment to lifting up vulnerable children and strengthening local connections, after being named CIBC Caribbean’s 2026 Unsung Hero for the island nation.
Thirty-one-year-old Catherine Edmund, a resident of Seaview Estate in Ciceron, is the driving force behind Birthday Fairies, a volunteer initiative she co-founded with her sister Maria in early 2023. The project addresses a simple but often overlooked need: creating meaningful, joyful birthday experiences for children whose families lack the financial resources to host celebrations.
Working closely with school administrations across the island, Edmund transforms ordinary classrooms into custom-themed party spaces, provides sweet treats for the entire class to enjoy, and sources a personalized gift for the birthday child, using insights and preference details shared by their teachers. To date, Birthday Fairies has brought celebrations to young people at multiple local educational institutions, including Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School, Bexon Infant School, and Ciceron Primary School, with more partnerships continuing to develop.
Edmund’s contributions to her community stretch far beyond her birthday initiative. As an active member of the Pantastic Muzik steel orchestra, she regularly takes on uncredited behind-the-scenes work: preparing meals for the group during extended rehearsal sessions and coordinating safe rides home for fellow musicians after late-night practices. She is also a core participant in the Ciceron Youth Development Group, where she lends her time to organizing local community events and supporting public outreach programs that benefit neighborhood residents.
The official recognition of Edmund’s work took place at an intimate dinner ceremony Sunday evening, where she was joined by her family, partnering school principals, and senior executives from CIBC Caribbean.
Nigel Ollivierre, Country Manager for CIBC Caribbean in Saint Lucia, noted that the scale of Edmund’s impact at such a young age makes her work particularly inspiring for future generations of volunteers. “There is something especially heartening about seeing a young woman of Catherine’s age already so deeply committed to giving of herself to others. It tells us that the tradition of community service is not disappearing; it is being carried forward by another generation,” Ollivierre explained.
He added that Edmund’s work perfectly embodies the core mission of the Unsung Heroes programme, which centers on the age-old idea that it takes a village to raise a child. “Catherine is showing these children what ‘the village’ feels like. Someone who is not their parent sees them, cares enough to show up and creates a moment in which the people around them celebrate them. She is helping to keep the village alive – and that is something worth recognising,” he said.
For her part, Edmund framed the award as recognition not just of her own efforts, but of the entire network of supporters that have helped her work grow over the past three years. “I feel extremely honoured and grateful to be recognised as a CIBC Caribbean Unsung Hero. While I am the one receiving this recognition, what I do would not be possible without God and the support of my family, friends and community, and the many people who have helped Birthday Fairies and my other community work along the way,” she said.
She also used the moment to encourage other people to step forward to help their communities, urging them not to discount the impact of small, consistent acts of kindness. “I have seen for myself that even the smallest gestures and acts of kindness can bring the biggest smiles,” she noted.
Edmund was selected for the national honor by a local judging panel made up of community leaders Susanna Gurley and Ronald Hinkson. As Saint Lucia’s national Unsung Hero, she receives a $5,000 USD grant to expand her ongoing philanthropic work. Her national selection also qualified her for consideration for the regional CIBC Caribbean Unsung Hero title, and organizers recently confirmed that she has advanced to the top three regional finalists. The final winner and two runners-up will be announced at a formal awards ceremony in Barbados on September 19.
The Unsung Heroes programme is one of CIBC Caribbean’s flagship corporate social responsibility projects. First launched in 2003 and recently relaunched in 2025, the initiative highlights unrecognized individuals who carry out outstanding voluntary work across the Caribbean, spanning social support programs, environmental action, youth mentorship, and extraordinary acts of courage or compassion.