Sun | Dec 14, 2025

DIA Labs project boasts innovation, community impact

Published:Monday | February 24, 2025 | 12:09 AM
Chevell Sutherland Thomas, owner/product developer, HER Essentials, addresses guests during a special DIA Lab Programme Update Session held at the LASCO Foundation Headquarters on February 12. The event celebrated the achievements of young entrepreneurs wh
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Chevell Sutherland Thomas, owner/product developer, HER Essentials, addresses guests during a special DIA Lab Programme Update Session held at the LASCO Foundation Headquarters on February 12. The event celebrated the achievements of young entrepreneurs who have benefitted from the DIA Lab Programme, an initiative designed to foster innovation, provide business development training, and equip young Jamaicans with the tools needed to succeed.

The Trust for the Americas programme’s DIA Lab in Jamaica is highlighting the young entrepreneurs who have benefitted from an initiative designed to foster innovation, provide business development training, and equip young Jamaicans with the tools needed to succeed.

During a recent meet-and-greet session, Jamaica Citi Country Officer Eva Lewis expressed her admiration for the programme’s impact and its ability to sustain the entrepreneurial spirit of Jamaica’s youths.

The meet-and-greet, marking the programme’s cycle closing and held at the LASCO Foundation headquarters, was attended by representatives from Citi, Trust for the Americas and the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE), the LASCO Foundation, and the Organisation of American States, along with four outstanding programme participants.

“Every time I participate in sessions with DIA Lab, I always leave with hope. I leave inspired, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to see the sustainability of the project, as well as the continued perseverance and motivation of our young people here in Jamaica,” said Lewis.

Passion and dedication

She commended the dedication of the DIA Lab participants and congratulated the entrepreneurs who showcased their businesses, noting their passion and dedication to making an impact.

The DIA Lab programmes in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Dominican Republic, supported by the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative, has empowered young innovators and disruptive entrepreneurs to develop low-cost, high-impact solutions and livelihood opportunities for their communities.

In 2016, the first DIA Lab was launched in Jamaica, and, since then, through partners, The Trust for the Americas and the ILE, the programme has achieved significant milestones across the three DIA Lab countries from 2016 to 2024.

Among those milestone is more than 9,500 young people benefitting from DIA Lab’s training and awareness activities; more than 860 participants starting or strengthening their social or business entrepreneurship projects.

In addition, approximately 471 participants have received funding for their innovative projects or ventures through the programme’s emblematic Pitch Tank competitions.

These results, according to Citi, demonstrate how innovative solutions can drive inclusion and resilience, ultimately building a more sustainable society. The success of DIA Lab, Citi said, is a testament to the power of innovation, entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment in shaping a brighter future for the region.

Chairman James E. D. Rawle, representing the LASCO Foundation as new DIA LAB funding partners, emphasised the importance of continued investment in youth entrepreneurship.

“The LASCO Foundation is proud to support initiatives like the DIA Lab Programme that provides young entrepreneurs with the skills and resources they need to succeed. We firmly believe that investing in youth innovation is investing in Jamaica’s future, and we remain committed to nurturing the next generation of business leaders,” said Rawle.