Thu | Jun 1, 2023

Jamaica Broilers sends children back to school

Published:Wednesday | August 24, 2016 | 3:15 PM
Contributed
Christopher Levy (right), president and CEO of Jamaica Broilers Group, greets Bradley Smith, student of Spanish Town Primary school, prior to presenting him with his back-to-school package. Looking on (from left) are Lileth Givans, community representative from Spring Village; Mark-Kayla Nunez, student of Spring Village SDA Basic school; Charmaine White, community representative from McCook’s Pen, and Lashanda Johnson, student at Free Town Primary School.

Twenty-four years since the launch of the Jamaica Broilers Group's (JBG) back-to-school initiative, the programme has transformed the lives of some 7,000 children from St Catherine, through bursaries, scholarships and school supplies provided annually by the company.

A vision of the former president and current chairman, Robert Levy, he was of the view that his company should assist young people of the various communities in which JBG operates to be empowered and uplifted through education.

At the inaugural JBG's event in 1992, 50 students received school supplies. And on Thursday, August 18 this year, 350 children from McCook's Pen, Bodles, Free Town and Spring Village received school bags, exercise books, pens, pencils, dictionaries, rulers, sharpeners, erasers, crayons and pencil cases, valued at $500,000. In addition, the Robert Levy scholarships and educational bursaries awarded to students residing in the Spring Village community, totaling $560,000, were also, presented.

Book vouchers and educational bursaries are awarded based on academic performance. Each recipient is required to maintain at least a 'B' average throughout high school and university. However, students matriculating to high school and university are automatic recipients.