Nita Barrow facts for kids

Dame Ruth Nita Barrow (born November 15, 1916 – died December 19, 1995) was a very important person from Barbados. She was the first woman to become the Governor-General of Barbados. This role is like a representative of the Queen or King in a country.

Nita Barrow was a skilled nurse and worked a lot in public health. She served as Barbados's fifth governor-general from 1990 until she passed away in 1995. She was also the older sister of Errol Barrow, who was the first Prime Minister of Barbados.

Early Life and Family

Ruth Nita Barrow was born in Barbados. Her father, Reverend Reginald Grant Barrow, was a respected Anglican priest. Her mother was Ruth Alberta Barrow. Nita was one of five children. Her siblings included Sybil, Ena, and Errol Barrow.

From a young age, Nita was interested in helping people. She decided to become a nurse. She also trained as a midwife, helping mothers and babies. She worked in nursing and public health in both Barbados and Jamaica.

Nita's Education Journey

Nita Barrow started her nursing training at the Barbados General Hospital. She then learned about midwifery at the Port of Spain General Hospital in Trinidad. She loved learning and continued her studies in nursing at several famous universities.

She studied at Columbia University in New York, University of Toronto in Canada, and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She even did special studies at the Royal College of Nursing in Edinburgh. Nita also taught others. She was an instructor at the West Indies School of Public Health in Jamaica.

Later, she became the first West Indian Matron at the University College Hospital. She was also the first Principal Nursing Officer in Jamaica. Nita helped to make nurses' training better and started advanced nursing programs.

A Career of Helping Others

Nita Barrow's career helping people started in 1964. She became a Nursing Advisor for the Pan American Health Organization. This meant she gave advice on health care in the Caribbean.

She also became the Director of the Christian Medical Commission. This group was part of the World Council of Churches. From 1975 to 1983, she was the President of the World YWCA. This organization helps young women around the world.

Nita was also the President of the International Council of Adult Education (ICAE). She led a big meeting for women's groups in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1983. In 1985, she chaired another important meeting for women in Nairobi.

One amazing thing she did was in 1986. She was part of a group that visited South Africa. At that time, South Africa had strict rules about where people could go. Nita bravely dressed in local clothes to enter a restricted area called Alexandra township. This helped her see the real situation there.

In 1980, Nita Barrow received a very high honor in Barbados. She was made a Dame of St. Andrew. She also received an honorary award from the Royal College of Nursing.

Nita Barrow passed away in 1995 after a stroke. She is remembered for her dedication to health and human rights.

Nita Barrow's Lasting Legacy

Dame Nita Barrow left a strong legacy. The Errol & Nita Barrow Educational Trust was created in her honor. This trust helps people from Barbados and the Caribbean get an education. It supports studies that will help Barbados and the wider Caribbean region grow.

The International Council of Adult Education (ICAE) also created an award in her name. The Dame Nita Barrow award supports groups that help empower women through education.

A special collection of documents about Nita Barrow's life is also very important. It's called the Die Nita Barrow Collection. This collection is on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. This means it's recognized as a very important part of the world's history.

Important Roles Nita Held

Nita Barrow held many important positions throughout her life:

• Nursing and Public Health roles in Barbados and Jamaica (1940–1956)
• Chief Nursing Officer in Jamaica (1956–1967)
• Public health advisor for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) (1963–1975)
• Nursing Advisor for PAHO (1967–1971)
• Associate Director of the Christian Medical Commission in Geneva (1971–1975)
• President of the World YWCA (1975–1983)
• Director/Health Consultant for the World Health Organization (1981–1986)
• President of the International Council for Adult Education (1982–1990)
• President of the World Council of Churches (1983)
• Ambassador to the United Nations (1986–1990)
• Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing
• Governor General of Barbados (1990–1995)

Awards and Special Honors

Nita Barrow received many awards for her hard work and dedication:

• 1975: Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies
• 1980: Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing
• 1980: Dame of St. Andrew, given by Queen Elizabeth II
• 1982: Doctor of Science from McMaster University, Canada
• 1983: Gamaliel Chair Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, USA
• 1984: Spirit of Caribbean Award from the Caribbean Resources Foundation
• 1985: West Indian of the Year from Bajan Magazine
• 1986: Caribbean Prize for Peace through the Struggle for Justice
• 1986: Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award from the Kiwanis Club of Barbados
• 1987: CARICOM Women's Award
• 1987: Doctor of Laws from the University of Toronto, Canada
• 1987: Doctor of Human Letters from Morris Brown University, USA
• 1988: Doctor of Humanities from Mount St. Vincent University, Canada
• 1988: Doctor of Laws from the University of Winnipeg, Canada
• 1988: Presidential Medal from Brooklyn College, USA
• 1988: Honorable Doctor of Laws from Spelman College, USA
• 1989: The Christiane Reimann Prize from the International Council of Nurses, Switzerland
• Honorary Doctor of Law from Queen's University, Canada
• Honorary Doctor of Literature from Wilfrid Laurier University

See also

In Spanish: Nita Barrow para niños