Month: April 2022

177 VINCENTIAN STUDENTS RECEIVED BURSARIES THROUGH THE UK-SVG FRIENDSHIP TRUST FUND

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From back row ( L-R): Mrs. Sandy Peters Phillips, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator The Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Representative from the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank Limited with some of the bursary recipients at the official handing over ceremony

April 13, 2022

The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Vincentian Diaspora & Friends in the United Kingdom continues its efforts in giving back to this country through its generous donation of bursaries to Vincentian students who are financially disadvantaged. For this academic year 2022/2023, one hundred and seventy-seven (177) Vincentian students each received EC$340.00 bursaries through the UK-SVG Friendship Trust Fund, totalling over EC$60,000.00.

The Ministry held an official handing over ceremony on April 4, 2022 at the Methodist Church, Kingstown. At the ceremony, thirty (30) of the 177 students across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines received bursaries with the reminder scheduled to collect their bursaries from the Ministry during the month of April, 2022.

Senator The Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in delivering the feature address at the ceremony, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment towards supporting the youths of this country to ensure their success. Minister Peters highlighted that “it is the Ministry’s promise to continue to work closely with local, regional and international partners as well as Vincentians living in the Diaspora to create opportunities with the overall goal of improving the lives and livelihoods of all Vincentians.”

Minister Peters on behalf of the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines salute and recognize the leadership of High Commissioner Cenio Lewis and the Staff at the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines High Commission in London, who have over the years continued to work assiduously with our Vincentian Diaspora in the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by extension the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines expresses profound thanks to the donors of the UK-SVG Friendship Trust Fund and the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank Limited for their unwavering support in providing assistance to the People of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Back on the 16th July 2021, the UK-SVG Friendship Trust Fund donated a total sum of ECS330.000.00 to the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as part of their commitment to assist with the relief efforts following the series of 2021 La Soufriére volcanic eruptions, which have had an adverse impact on many lives and livelihoods in this country.

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ONE YEAR ON, UK-SVG FRIENDSHIP TRUST EXTENDS HELP TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN

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Video of UK-SVG Friendship Trust supporting St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the last year.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines continues its long journey to recover from the explosive volcanic eruption a year ago. April 9th  2022 marks the one-year anniversary since the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano which disrupted the lives and livelihoods of citizens forcing thousands into shelters across the country.

Whilst the country has returned to some level of normalcy, there are still many whose lives remain at a standstill in shelters or in alternative living arrangements across the island. 

The UK-SVG Friendship Trust has continued to work with its trusted local partners including, the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank and local representative Mr Darrien Ollivierre to bring targeted relief to many. This week, we are pleased to have helped RedRoot SVG Inc with food supplies to augment their support to vulnerable women in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The organisation in a statement said that the Trust “contributions will go a long way toward aiding women and children in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Further, we recently partnered with the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer bursaries to children to help on their educational journey. Working with the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank Ltd, bursary recipients have also been offered vouchers to become savers at that indigenous financial institution. 

Trust ​Director and Administrator Mr Adaiah Providence-Culzac reflecting on the partnership with the bank said that:

“The UK-SVG Friendship Trust values its partnership with the St. Vincent Co-operative Bank Ltd which was forged in response to assuring our donors and stakeholders of our commitment to accountability and transparency. A year on, I anticipate that our continued partnership will redound to the benefit of communities across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines particularly our children and women.”

“This bursary initiative which features access to the bank’s penny savers account for recipients underscores our belief that alongside financial support, our children must be taught the principles of savings, financial management and financial literacy at an early age.”

The UK-SVG Friendship Trust remains committed to the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the long term and will launch new programmes and initiatives in the Summer to achieve its various charitable objectives.