Twenty students in state care received approximately $100 million in total from the Supreme Ventures Foundation (SVF).

The  four-year “full-ride” scholarships will assist students in covering  expenses such as tuition, boarding, subsistence stipend and any miscellaneous expenses during the students’ academic programmes.

According to  CEO of the Child Protection and Family Services (CPSFA), Rosalee Gage-Grey  the scholarships will create nation builders, adding that the recipients are engaged in a broad range of disciplines including studies in business, medicine, law, economics, civil engineering, animation and education.

“We are quite thankful for the support of the Foundation. At a total value of $100 million dollars, these scholarships will without a doubt, greatly impact the future of not only these youngsters but also the future of Jamaica,” said Gage Grey while giving remarks at the award ceremony on Tuesday (November 16).

“In front of us are future nurses, engineers, animators and entrepreneurs. Their success will not be self-serving but instead will serve generations of Jamaicans to come,” she added.

SVF Director, Heather Goldson who also spoke at the award ceremony noted the importance of developing  human capital.

“Through this initiative, we hope to give them the tools to success as they go after their dreams which previously may have seemed impossible. As a nation, we must recognize that our human capital comes from the length and breadth of our country, and the talent and drive that Jamaica has been overly blessed with should never be taken for granted and always nurtured and encouraged,” she said.

Similar sentiments were shared by State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), Robert ‘Nesta’ Morgan who shared that there were tangible benefits to be had from nurturing the nation’s youth pointing to the myriad of success stories

“We’re seeing many success stories from our child care ecosystem. But we do have a lot of challenges and it is upon us to continue partnering with entities like the Supreme Ventures Foundation that have demonstrated historically, a willingness to work with the Government, private homes and the CPFSA for the betterment of our children. I think that exemplifies what a good corporate citizen should be,” Morgan said.

Morgan also used  the occasion to applaud the initiative and commend the foundation for its continued partnership with the government.

In 2019, the SVF signed an MOU with the  MOEYI in response to a deadly fire at the Walker’s Place of Safety which claimed the lives of two children in 2018.

Since then the foundation has teamed up with the ministry on several initiatives aimed at improving the lives of youth in state care.