Social Stock Exchange Hands Over Funds to Education Ministry and Two NGOs
By: , October 14, 2022
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (second right), and National Education Trust Limited (NET) Donor and Partnership Officer, Simone Griffith right), receive a cheque in the sum of $254,168.95 from the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE) for the Ministry’s ‘One Tablet or Laptop Per Child’ initiative. Making the presentation are Group Business Development Manager, Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), André Gooden (left), and JSSE Manager, Nora Blake.
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (second right), is briefed on the activities of the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE) by Manager, Nora Blake (second left), during the recent presentation of a cheque in the sum of $254,168.95 for the Ministry’s ‘One Tablet or Laptop Per Child’ initiative. The presentation was made at the Ministry’s offices in Kingston. Also listening (from left) are Group Business Development Manager, Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), André Gooden; and National Education Trust Limited (NET) Donor and Partnership Officer, Simone Griffith.
Photo: Contributed
Manager, Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE), Nora Blake (right), presents a cheque in the sum of $80,500 to Executive Director, Mustard Seed Communities Jamaica, Darcy Tulloch Williams (second right). Sharing the moment (from left) are Mustard Seed’s Administrator, Tamara Tucker, and Business Development Manager, David Silvera. The presentation took place at Mustard Seed’s complex in Kingston.
Photo: Contributed
Manager, Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE), Nora Blake (centre), displays a cheque in the sum of $50,000 that was presented to Manager, Teen Challenge Jamaica, Anthony Richards (right), at the JSSE’s office in Kingston. Sharing the moment is Business Development Manager, Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), André Gooden.
Photo: Contributed
Manager, Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE), Nora Blake (left), makes a special presentation to Massy Group of Companies Chief Executive Officer, Gervase Warner (centre), and Vice President, Distribution, Janine Chen, during the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) 17th Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference, in January.The Full Story
The Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE) recently presented cheques totalling $384,668.95 to the Ministry of Education and Youth and two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in support of their ongoing initiatives.
The sum, accumulated from donations via the JSSE’s platform, represents additional funding for interventions by the entities that target vulnerable persons.
A cheque in the sum of $254,168.95 was presented to Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, towards the ‘One Tablet or One Laptop Per Child’ initiative, which aims to bridge the digital divide within the education sector, by providing at least 100,000 needy students with the requisite tools to facilitate information and communications technology (ICT)-based learning.
More than $2.3 million has, so far, been raised by the JSSE in collaboration with the Ministry and the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) towards the initiative.
In addition, Mustard Seed Communities Jamaica received $80,500 to aid in providing personal hygiene items for the adults and children housed at their apostolates.
JSSE Manager, Nora Blake, indicated that consequent on funding challenges that Mustard Seed experienced, the entity went to market seeking public support, through donations. The JSSE was able to initially raise almost $2 million.
“Massy Distributors was our major partner in that effort, contributing $1.5 million in kind,” she pointed out.
This earned the company special acknowledgement as Top Donor at the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) 17th regional investments and capital markets conference in January, during which Massy cross-listed on the stock exchange.
Meanwhile, the St. Ann-based Teen Challenge Jamaica received $50,000 to bolster the organisation’s needs, which are focused on addressing addiction issues among young people.
The entity has a small farm with a poultry operation and vegetable cultivation, from which produce is sold to the local hotel industry. This was bolstered by the JSSE’s initial handover of funds during the onslaught of COVID-19.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it had curtailed activities in tourism. The social-sector organisation was then faced with a serious cash flow problem with the possibility of having to close the venture, which would have affected the project’s mission,” Ms. Blake outlined.
She advised that the JSSE went to the market and was able to raise an initial $1.5 million for the organisation.
The JSSE has raised just under $50 million for charities and special assistance appeals since its establishment in 2019.
A subsidiary of the JSE, it was created to mobilise resources into the social sector as well as facilitate stakeholder capacity-building and the supporting ecosystem’s overall development.