Twenty students in state care received approximately $100 million 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 their academic programmes.

According to the CEO of the Child Protection and Family Services (CPSFA), Rosalee Gage-Grey, the scholarships will create nation builders as 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, these scholarships will, without a doubt, greatly impact the future of not only these youngsters but also the future of Jamaica,” she said during her address at the award ceremony on Tuesday.

“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 succeed as they go after their dreams which previously may have seemed impossible. As a nation, we must recognise 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 said there are tangible benefits to be had from nurturing the nation’s youth.

“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.