Victoria Mutual Foundation focused on improving Jamaican lives
Published:Saturday | April 9, 2022 | 12:06 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
The Victoria Mutual (VM) Foundation is focused on improving the welfare of Jamaicans through leadership and nation-building, youth, and community development. Formally established in 2018, the foundation gave structure to the philanthropic efforts of the VM Group that were previously undertaken through its marketing, corporate affairs, and communications department.
Since then, the foundation has dedicated itself to purposeful and meaningful work, primarily geared towards the improvement of life for Jamaicans, both locally and in the diaspora. According to Samantha Charles, chief executive officer at the VM Foundation, their mission is to empower individuals in the communities, and this mandate is delivered through a dedicated team of volunteers and partners.
“We are a modern mutual, which means that the VM Group is focused on member satisfaction and participation. We look at the needs of our members and reinvest our capital to improve their lives. So, as we build our mutuality, we create opportunities for our team and our members to positively contribute to the communities in which they live and work,” Charles said.
The VM Foundation operates under three social enterprises, leadership and nation-building, youth empowerment, and health and family. The foundation is well known for its sponsorship of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB), an annual event on Jamaica’s calendar that provides an opportunity for the nation’s leaders to unite and seek divine intervention.
VERY PROUD
The foundation also supports the Clifton Boys’ Home in Darliston, Westmoreland. With the closure of schools from the upsurge of the coronavirus pandemic, many children were left behind. However, according to Charles, they were very proud that they were able to support the children during that time.
Charles also indicated that the foundation has also given scholarships, and they have twinned the scholarship programme with a mentorship programme that provides expert advice to the beneficiaries. “We want to pride ourselves on being very unique where this is concerned. We not only provide a financial donation, but we also try to carry our scholarship recipients through by mentoring them for at least 12 months,” she said.
The scholarship recipients, ranging from primary to tertiary students, also receive tablets and laptops. Over 52 scholarships were recently awarded, to the value of $3.85 million.
The foundation has also adopted the St Jago Health Centre, in Spanish Town, St Catherine, where it has assisted with minor repairs and the purchase of equipment. It was also sponsor of the Positive Parenting Series in which it has assisted parents with strategies to cope, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The series held last November looked at things that we thought were important to our parents, such as healthy parenting strategies, mental health issues, fatherhood, the role of the father in parenting, and we looked at discipline and character building. We recognise the challenges that our parents would have endured throughout COVID, and so we tried to find ways that we could assist them in getting through those challenges,” Charles said.
One of the foundations’ largest efforts also came during the coronavirus pandemic when they were called upon to assist with a patient shelter at the University Hospital of the West Indies. “It is a patient shelter to host COVID-19 patients. It is state-of-the-art as well, and was built in record time,” Charles said.
“I think it’s an absolute privilege and a blessing to be able to give back. I have always wanted to be part of an organisation that gives back, and working with VM Foundation has been a blessing. It is a very humbling feeling,” Charles added.
There are many ways to support the projects being undertaken by the VM Foundation. Chief among them are volunteering and donating to the organisation. For more information, you can telephone: 876-754-8627; email vmfoundation@myvmgroup.com; or visit their website vmfoundation.myvmgroup.com
“We feel that having a good heart is only part of it. The other part is ensuring that our programmes are inclusive and have a lasting impact, to help our communities to grow, to evolve and become empowered,” Charles concluded.