ANDREW Bachelor, widely known as King Bach, arrived on The Rock for the 20th edition of the esteemed RuJohn Foundation annual Celebrity Camp & Workshop, held June 17- June 24.

Bachelor, who gained fame as a Vine star with 11.3 million followers and over six billion loops, holds the distinction of being the most-followed person on Vine. Although Vine is now defunct Bachelor has built a successful YouTube channel called BachelorsPadTv, with 3.8 million subscribers. He is a highly sought-after actor, producer, and content creator, having appeared in numerous comedies and television shows such as Meet the Blacks, Fifty Shades of Black, and most recently Fear.

Canadian-born but American-raised with Jamaican parents, Bachelor’s accomplishments have earned him recognition as one of the “top influencers” by Forbes and Time magazine. In 2015 he received the Streamy Award for Viner of the Year and followed it up with a Shorty Award for Viner of the Year in the subsequent year. In 2017 he was nominated for the Streamy Award for Storyteller of the Year. He also holds the Guinness World Record for having the most-followed account on Vine.

Bachelor, along with his sister Christina as president, established the RuJohn Foundation with a dedicated focus on supporting education and providing assistance to schools in Jamaica through its annual Celebrity Camp & Workshop.

They established the foundation in honour of their grandparents Ruth and John, who instilled in their children the value of helping those in need. The foundation primarily focuses on educational scholarships, lunch programmes to aid students affected by hurricanes and natural disasters, donation of school supplies, building athletic programmes, providing equipment to schools, and assisting underserved communities in establishing learning centres to improve educational standards. Additionally, they have programmes dedicated to educating children about proper health care and nutritional needs.

We sat down with Bachelor to talk about why he started the foundation.

Q: How many people have benefited from the RuJohn Foundation to date?

A: Since 2003 we have sponsored over five million kids. We not only have students attending the workshops, but we also provide scholarships for those who apply online.

Q: RuJohn Foundation has been around for twenty years now. What motivates you to keep it going?

A: We witness scholarship students transforming into doctors and lawyers. We strive to contribute to that progress, so every year feels like a fresh start. It’s what keeps us motivated.

Q: Of all the places you could’ve started this foundation, why Jamaica?

A: No one ever did it for me. I want to show them that there is someone who looks like them, pointing them in the right direction.

Q: The Celebrity Camp & Workshop includes strength training and acting workshops to build confidence and self-esteem. Who served as instructors this year?

A: We had famous American actors Lance Gross, Tristin Mays, Jaleel White, Dexter Darden, and retired NFL Superbowl Championship football player-now ESPN correspondent Darius Butler, among others.

Q: The RuJohn Foundation’s Celebrity Camp & Workshop serves as a platform to introduce students to diverse opportunities and foster their potential for the future. While athletic ability is a part of the focus, what did you want the kids to get from this experience?

A: Cultivating the body is important but we wanted to develop the mind as well. I wanted the kids to understand that throughout your journey there will be individuals who insist that you cannot succeed but, despite limited resources, there are creative ways to make yourself known.