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JWN Foundation empowers 199 Students with Scholarships to Shape a Brighter Future

The JWN Foundation (JWNF) proudly announces the awarding of scholarships to 199 exceptional students from the communities surrounding its parent company, J. Wray & Nephew Limited (JWN). This initiative underscores the foundation’s commitment to its slogan, “Transforming Lives and Communities for a Better Jamaica,” and underscores its commitment to fostering educational advancement and community development.

The scholarships, valued at a total of J$22,240,000, represent a notable increase from last year’s disbursement of J$19,280,000, highlighting the foundation’s ongoing dedication to educational advancement. Since the program’s inception in 2016, the JWN Foundation has awarded over 2,000 scholarships with a combined value exceeding J$167,000,000, empowering students across Jamaica to reach their full potential.

This year’s scholarship recipients come from the very communities where JWN has its operations. These students have demonstrated remarkable academic achievements and are poised to make significant contributions to their communities and beyond.

“The JWN Foundation is proud to support these bright young minds as they pursue their educational goals,” said Tanikie McClarthy Allen, CEO of the JWN Foundation. “Investing in education is investing in the future of Jamaica. We are committed to nurturing talent and fostering opportunities that will lead to positive, lasting change in our communities.

The JWN Foundation’s scholarship program not only helps alleviate the financial burden of education but also empowers students to excel academically and personally. By providing these opportunities, the foundation continues to play a crucial role in shaping a prosperous future for Jamaica.

JWN Foundation expands agro-preneurship programme

SOURCE: The Jamaica Observer

The J Wray & Nephew Foundation (JWNF) has this year expanded its “Agro-preneurship” programme, leveraging key partnerships to enhance community development and economic empowerment across Jamaica.

The programme, following a successful launch in St Elizabeth back in 2021, has, for 2024, been extended to Kingston and Clarendon, aiming to provide comprehensive support to aspiring agro-preneurs while offering financial education, skills training and essential resources.

The initiative, which focuses on establishing sustainable poultry farming ventures, has for this year’s staging received additional contributions and noteworthy partnership support from entities such as the JN Bank, HEART/NSTA Trust and Nutramix.

Nutramix has been named the official title sponsor this year.

Following the distribution of chicken starter kits to at-risk groups in St Elizabeth communities, the programme’s expansion, which got underway in the additional parishes last month, sees over 100 agro-preneurs across communities presented with packages consisting of baby chicks, broiler pellet and crumble, feeder pan along with packets of vitamins and stress mix. Additionally, the recipients were also gifted with grocery bags of essential items for their families.

The JWN Foundation has a long history of ‘transforming lives and communities for a better Jamaica’ said it has since inception in 2012 donated to schools, hospitals, and other organisations in need. Beneficiary communities under the 2024 edition of the agro-preneurship programme include: Waterhouse, Seaview Gardens, Riverton, Henley Road in the Corporate Area and Gimme-Me-Bit, Racecourse, Water Lane, Vernamfield, York Town, and Milk River in Clarendon. The expansion of the programme, which comes as a testament to the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to community development, seeks to further increase the capacity of local farmers as it ensures food security while fostering economic resilience in Jamaica.

“This initiative started a vision to empower community members through sustainable agri-business practices and what we are now witnessing is an expansion of the fruits of our labour as more families embark on the path to self-reliance and entrepreneurial success. The expansion to Kingston and Clarendon is not just a milestone for us, but a great signal to the opportunities for aspiring agro-preneurs across Jamaica,” commented CEO of JWN Foundation Tanikie McClarthy Allen.

“Over 40 farming families in Clarendon have already benefited from the programme and many more in Kingston will now have the opportunity to enhance their livelihoods. By empowering our local farmers, we are fostering economic growth, job creation, and improved standards of living as we equip persons with the necessary resources and support to establish sustainable and profitable poultry ventures,” she added.

Touting the success of the programme, Marsha Thompson, a resident and beneficiary from Gimme-Me-Bit, Clarendon, lauded its impact as life-changing.

“This initiative has impacted my life so much because this is what I have been doing for a living for over five years and this contribution from the JWN Foundation is very timely as the last time I bought some chickens, a mongoose came in and ate them all. With this opportunity I’m now able to build back as I also continue to put into my restaurant business in Vernamfield,” she said.

“The donation from the JWN Foundation will go a long way in supporting our community and our need to start a small business so that we can sell and buy more so that our business can expand. Ultimately, it’s bigger and better for us. I even have plans to build a bigger ‘chicken coob’ in my backyard,” shared Anneika Bailey, another resident of Clarendon.

This year’s programme, which seeks to equip individuals with the necessary resources and knowledge on sustainable farming practices, also teaches them how to operate a financially sound and profitable agri-business venture.

Diamond King, youth banking officer for partnerships & engagement at JN Bank, in highlighting the importance of the initiative, said that the financial empowerment of people is crucial to the country’s economic success.

“JN Bank is committed to supporting entrepreneurs across various sectors, including agriculture. We applaud the JWNF for leading this agro-preneurship initiative and are grateful for the opportunity to partner with them to educate entrepreneurs about our financial solutions.

“The information we have shared with the beneficiaries has been well received, and several participants have already expressed an interest in learning more about how we can assist them financially, so we are eager to build on this collaboration in the future,” King noted.

Ronique Rhoden, director of community engagement at HEART/NSTA Trust, in similarly highlighting the alignment between the initiative and her entity’s mission, said it opens the portal for the human development agency to offer training that will improve the social and economic well-being of community members.

“The beneficiaries are excited to be trained by the trust on how to become better micro, small and medium-sized business. Through this programme they are being given the opportunity to develop their skills and to better themselves, their families and communities,” Rhoden stated.

JWN Foundation expands agropreneurship initiative through strategic partnerships

SOURCE: The Jamaica Gleaner

The JWN Foundation recently expanded its agropreneurship initiative, leveraging key partnerships to enhance community development and economic empowerment across Jamaica. Originally launched in St Elizabeth in 2021, the programme has now extended its reach to Kingston and Clarendon, with an additional 100 contributions added to its 2024 staging.

The initiative, which focuses on establishing sustainable poultry farming ventures, has been bolstered by collaborations with JN Bank, HEART/NSTA Trust, and Nutramix. These partnerships aim to provide comprehensive support to aspiring agropreneurs, combining financial education, skills training, and essential resources.

Diamond King, youth banking officer for partnerships & engagement at JN Bank, emphasised the importance of the initiative.

“The financial empowerment of our people is crucial to Jamaica’s economic success. JN Bank is committed to supporting entrepreneurs across various sectors, including agriculture. We applaud the JWN Foundation for leading this Agropreneurship initiative and are grateful for the opportunity to partner with them to educate entrepreneurs about our convenient solutions.”

King added that the partnership has yielded positive results.

“The information was well received, and several participants expressed interest in learning more about how we can assist them so we are eager to build on this collaboration in the future.”

Ronique Rhoden, director of community engagement at HEART/NSTA Trust, highlighted the alignment between the initiative and their mission.

“As a human development agency, we were pleased to assist in bringing training to improve the lives of community members. Agropreneurship is a booming business opportunity ideal for these communities, and we’re committed to showing a trajectory for improved livelihoods.”

Rhoden also noted the enthusiastic response from participants.

“The beneficiaries are excited to be trained by the Trust in micro, small & medium-sized business. They look forward to developing their skills to better themselves, their families, and their communities,” she ended.

The expanded programme continues to provide chicken starter kits in partnership with Nutramix, equipping farmers with the resources needed to establish and grow their poultry businesses. Maurice Williams, Nutramix assistant brand manager, expressed pride in supporting the initiative, stating that it “underscores the importance of empowering our communities through agribusiness”.

JWN Foundation CEO Tanikie McClarthy Allen emphasised the initiative’s impact.

“Over 40 farming families in Clarendon have already t from the programme, and with this expansion, many more in Kingston will now have the opportunity to enhance their livelihoods. By empowering our local farmers, we are fostering economic growth, job creation, and improved standards of living,” she stated.

This collaborative effort between the JWN Foundation and its partners exemplifies a shared commitment to “transforming lives and communities for a better Jamaica” through sustainable agribusiness development.

JWN Foundation expands agro-preneurship programme to Corporate Area

SOURCE: Our Today

JWN Foundation (JWNF), the philanthropic arm of J Wray & Nephew, has expanded its “agro-preneurship” programme to communities within its vicinity on Spanish Town Road in St Andrew.

The foundation kick-started the programme in 2021, launching first in St Elizabeth, before expanding further in Clarendon in 2023, with the aim of bolster local farmers’ supplies, ensuring food security, and fostering economic resilience in Jamaica.

By bringing the initiative to Kingston, it aims to foster economic growth and agricultural development within the communities that are nearest its Spanish Town Road operations.

At the recent instalment of the programme, JWN Foundation distributed chicken starter kits and essential food items to over 100 farming families in both Clarendon and Kingston. This is a significant increase in the number of beneficiaries since the programme starting.

In Kingston, residents of Waterhouse, Seaview Gardens, Riverton City, and Henley Road benefitted from the distribution.

According to, Marsha Thompson, a resident from Gimme-Me-Bit in Clarendon, “This initiative has impacted my life so much because this is what I do for a living forover 5 years now and this contribution from the JWN Foundation is very timely because the last time I bought some chickens a mongoose came in and ate them all, so this is now an opportunity for me to build back. Now I can contiue to put this into my restaurant business at Vernamfield,” she explained.

CEO of the JWN Foundation Tanikie McClarthy Allen outlined that the agro-preneurship initiative started with a vision to empower community members through sustainable agribusiness practices.

“Today, we are witnessing the expansion of the fruits of our labor as more families embark on the path to self-reliance and entrepreneurial success. The expansion to Kingston is not just a milestone for us but a great signal to the opportunities for aspiring agro-preneurs across Jamaica,” she ended.

As the JWN Foundation continues to deepen its support of the Agro-preneurship program, the vision of transforming lives and communities for a better Jamaica remains at the heart of every action.

JWN Foundation enlisted Nutramix, JN Bank and HEART Trust/NSTA for the instalment of the programme.

Jamaal Muirhead ‘eyes’ serving the Jamaican cause as a diplomat

SOURCE: Go Jamaica

IN TWO years, he could become the first diplomat to hail from Crook’s Gate, southwestern Clarendon.

That’s why Jamaal Muirhead is putting everything into ensuring that he emerges top of the class as he reads for a degree in International Relations at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, cour tesy of a J Wray & Nephew (JWN) Foundation scholarship.

He has completed the first task, by making the Dean’s List in his first year of study and does not intend to drop the ball on the race to the fin ish line which climaxes in two years.

Jamaal is no ordinary scholar ship seeker. While in grade 10 at Denbigh High School in Clarendon, he pushed forward to apply for a scholarship through the JWN Foundation. But that initial denial did not daunt him. Although not successful for the scholarship, the JWN Foundation along with Optical Elements donated a pair of glasses to help the young student during his course of study. Following success at Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, he applied again for a scholarship to take him through sixth form. Guess what? He was successful! And that success pushed him even further, as he was embraced by the founda tion, which backed him financially, again, for the latest tertiary schol arship over three years.

“I don’t know what I would have done without these scholarships, because things were tough,”he said. “Students should be persistent and search for those scholarships be cause they are out there, and they are meaningful. By working hard at your academics and getting in volved in extracurricular activities, you will be able to land those schol arships,” he urged others.

With his engine in full revolu tion, Jamaal not only wants to be a member of Jamaica’s diplomatic corps but intends to be involved in something special. “The study of international relations is extremely important. It is more relevant now, based on the conflicts that we have seen with Hamas and Israel, with Russia and Ukraine … and being a part of that process, I would be able to help Jamaica on the foreign Jamaal Muirhead, JWN Foundation Scholarship recipient. CONTRIBUTED front, because Jamaica is heavily dependent on outside investments and outside relation are important to a country,” the now resident of Gimme-Me-Bit in Clarendon remarked.

As for something extra, politics may be another area in which he could serve, if utterances by community folk regarding his suita bility in that area are taken seriously by him. But there are doubts. “I do have the political and leadership acumen, but Jamaican politics … it can be a bit filthy at times, it can be a bit rough, it is not easy. Jamaican politics is a blood sport,” he ended.

JWN Foundation’s reading ‘promise’

SOURCE: The Jamaica Observer

Grade 3 teacher at Gimme-Me-Bit Primary School Debbie Barrett (left) being presented with a copy of the JWN Foundation’s featured book for Read Across Jamaica Day, I am a Promise by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce by JWN Foundation volunteers Kizzy Lamey (centre) and Yanique Dixon.

The JWN Foundation volunteers went to schools in the parishes of Kingston, Clarendon, and St Elizabeth last Thursday for Read Across Jamaica Day.

JWN Foundation delivers on promise to enhance literary education

SOURCE: Loop News

The JWN Foundation once again threw its support behind Read Across Jamaica Day on May 7, a national initiative dedicated to promoting literacy and fostering a love for reading among children across the island.

The foundation mobilised its staff volunteers to visit 12 schools in Kingston, Clarendon and St Elizabeth. The book chosen for this year’s reading was Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s inspiring co-authored book, “I Am a Promise”. Fraser-Pryce’s, “I Am a Promise” documents the inspiring story of the young girl from her humble beginnings in Waterhouse to her rise to global fame as one of the world’s most gifted female sprint legends.

The book emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and working hard to achieve one’s dreams. Through the pages of this motivating book, Fraser-Pryce encourages children to embrace their potential and stay focused on their goals.

By featuring ‘I Am a Promise’ as the focal point of its participation in Read Across Jamaica Day, the JWN Foundation hopes to resonate with young readers and impart the values of resilience, determination, and self-confidence that are at the heart of the book’s narrative. We aim to empower and uplift our Jamaican communities, and there is no better way to do that than by nurturing the minds of our children and doing so through the lens of one of our very own star athletes in an Olympic year,” said Tanikie McClarthy Allen, CEO of the JWN Foundation.

She continued, “JWNF remains very active in our communities through our multiple touch points with the residents, so we have seen firsthand what is needed and are collaborating with the community to come up with ideas and activities to fill these gaps. Today’s activity is the favourite for our volunteers because it is a wonderful opportunity for them [staff volunteers] to give back to their communities. This short but profound book will leave a lasting impression on young readers to motivate them to dream big, and we saw that on Tuesday with the outstanding participation from the children,” she ended.

JWN Foundation staff volunteers participated in various activities throughout Read Across Jamaica Day, including reading sessions, interactive discussions with the students about the story’s themes and how they relate to their own lives.

Each school also received a donation of eight books for the school library. Through this donation, children will have access to this empowering story long beyond Read Across Jamaica Day.

Triple the support as JWN Foundation continues to battle period poverty public health crisis

SOURCE: The Jamaica Observer

JWN Foundation tripled its period poverty donation efforts last week and distributed over 1,800 menstrual kits through their staff volunteer network across three parishes — Clarendon, St Elizabeth, and Kingston — as part of their #endperiodpoverty campaign.

Institutions such as Seaview Gardens Primary in Kingston, Race Course Primary in Clarendon and Bogue All-Age in St Elizabeth are just a few of those that will benefit from the donation. The foundation said it started focusing on the issue in 2020 based on the experience of working in communities where many young girls are unable to afford the cost of sanitary napkins. That year, the foundation donated 650 menstrual care packages to 12 institutions.

Since its inception, the JWN Foundation has donated 9,472 sanitary products, aiding 5,075 women across 20 institutions.

International Women’s Day 2024 was celebrated March 8 under the theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’, emphasising the importance of women being included and feeling a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. JWN said it chose to dedicate the entire month of March to women. As part of the celebrations, the company hosted its ‘Spirited Women’ luncheon to honour remarkable and resilient women, while simultaneously launching the annual ‘end period poverty’ campaign. From collaboration with the women honored, nearly $300,000 cash and in-kind support was pledged towards the foundation’s expanded efforts.

“I never realised the struggles some women were going through,” said honouree Anna Liao, owner of National Self-Serve Wholesale. “Some of these things we take for granted because it’s just a part of life, but my eyes were opened during the luncheon when I watched the video showcasing the work that the JWN Foundation has been doing over the years, so I had to contribute. I had to play my part. It’s something I think we must do to help the many young girls that are struggling.”

Tanikie McClarthy Allen, CEO of the JWN Foundation, said she was very happy with the increased support by the Spirited Women to expand and extend the reach of the period poverty campaign.

“We are proud of the extra support being extended by the Spirited Women to expand the reach of this campaign to reach even more girls. As little as $1,000 can help one girl with three months’ supply, so imagine the collective support of many and what that will do to these young women whose lives we will be touching,” she said.

“Along with T Geddes Grant as one of our trusted partners, I’m also happy to share that this year we can afford to increase and expand the offering to each girl, so aside from the sanitary napkins, we provided wipes, and a convenient pouch to maintain privacy while at the same time helping the girls to form healthy habits of being prepared for their cycles.”

She said this year’s expansion is part of continued support to ending period poverty, and the JWN Foundation believes that by empowering women and providing them with the necessary resources, they can make a significant difference in their lives.

JWN Foundation operates under three pillars — education, culture and social inclusion — and focuses its attention in areas surrounding its business operations at Spanish Town Road in Kingston, New Yarmouth in Clarendon, and Appleton Estate in St Elizabeth.

JWN Foundation triples efforts to fight period poverty

SOURCE: The Jamaica Gleaner

JWN Foundation triples efforts to fight period poverty
Distributes over 1,800 menstrual kits across Jamaica

The J Wray & Nephew Foundation tripled its period poverty donation efforts, distributing over 1,800 menstrual kits through their staff volunteer network across three parishes in Jamaica: Clarendon, St Elizabeth, and Kingston, as part of their #endperiodpoverty campaign.

Institutions such as Seaview Gardens Primary in Kingston, Race Course Primary in Clarendon, and Bogue All-Age in St Elizabeth are just a few of the institutions that will benefit from this well-needed donation. The Foundation started focusing on the issue in 2020, based on the experience of working in communities where many young girls are unable to afford the cost of sanitary napkins. That year, the foundation donated 650 menstrual care packages to 12 institutions.

Since its inception, the JWN Foundation has already donated 9,472 sanitary products, aiding 5,075 women across 20 institutions.

Last month, International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 was celebrated under the theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’. This theme emphasises the importance of women being included and feeling a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. JWN chose to dedicate the entire month of March to women. As part of the celebrations, the company hosted the ‘Spirited Women’ Luncheon while simultaneously launching the annual End Period Poverty Campaign.

Due to the collaboration with the ‘Spirited Women’ Luncheon, the celebrated women all pledged nearly $300,000 cash and other in kind support towards the foundation’s expanded efforts.

According to Anna Liao, one of the ‘spirited women’ and owner of National Self-Serve Wholesale, “I never realised the struggles some women were going through. Some of these things we take for granted because it’s just a part of life, but my eyes were opened during the luncheon when I watched that video showcasing the work that the JWN Foundation has being doing over the years. So I had to contribute. I had to play my part. It’s something I think we must do to help the many young girls that are struggling,” she shared.

Tanikie McClarthy Allen, CEO of the JWN Foundation, was very happy with the increased supported by the ‘Spirited Women’ to expand and extend the reach of the Period Poverty Campaign. According to her, “We are proud of the extra support being extended by the ‘Spirited Women’ to expand the reach of this campaign to reach even more girls. As little as $1,000 can help one girl with 3 months’ supply so imagine the collective support of many and what that will do to these young women whose lives we will be touching. Along with T. Geddes Grant as one of our trusted partners, I’m also happy to share that this year we can afford to increase and expand the offering to each girl. So, aside from the sanitary napkins, we provided wipes and a convenient pouch to maintain privacy, while at the same time helping the girls to form healthy habits of being prepared for their cycles. ”

She continued, “This year’s expansion is part of our continued support to ending period poverty, and we at the JWN Foundation believe that by empowering women and providing them with the necessary resources, we can make a significant difference in their lives. Through our efforts, we hope to inspire inclusive practices and create a more equitable society for all,” she added.

 

JWN Foundation nears $150 million in scholarships

SOURCE: The Jamaica Observer

The J Wray & Nephew Foundation added 364 scholars in 2023 to its revised scholarship programme that began in 2016.

JWN’s investment valued at $23,605,000 for 2023 adds to the unbroken eight-year investment in scholarship of $149, 616, 826.23 through 2,436 bursaries.

The JWN Foundation through its focus on communities surrounding the JWN sites in Kingston, Clarendon, and St Elizabeth, has played a pivotal role in promoting education and investing in the future of Jamaica.

The 2023 scholarship cohort is a diverse and accomplished group, comprising 156 scholastic grants, 146 secondary scholars and 62 tertiary scholars; 10 of whom are special awardees.

Of note is that seven of the 10 students being awarded Master Blender scholarships for excellence in STEM, each valued at $450,000. Additionally, two Humanities Scholarships and one prestigious Chairman’s Award scholarship, intended for an outstanding scholar who has received a top bursary for three consecutive years, are among the notable accolades.

Tanikie McClarthy Allen, CEO of the JWN Foundation, expressed, “This year was a remarkable celebration of achievement and promise. Our 2023 cohort delivered exemplary academic performance, represented themselves, their families, and communities well during the interview process and delivered more than 2,000 hours of voluntary service to economically vulnerably neighbourhoods. We are proud of our students and are steadfast in our commitment to offer educational opportunities – that transform lives and communities for a better Jamaica.”

McClarthy Allen further added, “This year’s Chairman’s Award winners is a stellar example to all our scholars. Dowesha Williams is hardworking under challenging circumstances and has an enviable sense of balance between her personal and professional responsibilities. Dowesha recorded 77 voluntary hours of service at the Race Course Primary School tutoring grades four and 6,” she ended.

Williams, a 23-year-old final year medical student at the University of the West Indies, hails from Race Course in Southern Clarendon. She attests, “Before embarking on my university journey, I had to take a gap year due to financial difficulties. Fortunately, the J Wray and Nephew Foundation has been a lifeline for me. It signifies more than just receiving a scholarship; it’s akin to being embraced by a supportive family. Without the foundation’s unwavering support, I unquestionably would not have reached this pivotal stage in my academic journey.”

The JWN Foundation maintains that it remains committed to the sustainable development of Jamaica, recognising that education serves as a cornerstone for the construction of a prosperous and thriving nation.

Through its benevolent scholarships, the foundation aspires to initiate a ripple effect of positive change, enriching the lives of countless individuals, and contributing significantly to the growth and prosperity of Jamaica.