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Corporate Hands | Woman Ignite Foundation empowering young women

Published:Thursday | January 16, 2025 | 12:07 AM
Main sponsors of the Woman Ignite Success Summit, GK General Insurance | Premier Lady, were all smiles at the event’s recent launch at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. Pictured (from left) are Rachel Greenland, marketing manager, Insurance and Investments, Gra
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Main sponsors of the Woman Ignite Success Summit, GK General Insurance | Premier Lady, were all smiles at the event’s recent launch at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. Pictured (from left) are Rachel Greenland, marketing manager, Insurance and Investments, GraceKennedy Financial Group; Janell Myers, marketing officer, Investments and Insurance Brokerage, GraceKennedy Financial Group; and Rudi-Ann Williams, GK General Insurance.

Woman Ignite Foundation (WIF) remains steadfast in pursuing its objectives of providing support for young women that have experienced significant challenges including trauma, incarceration, abuse, teenage pregnancy or human trafficking.

According to Keneshia Nooks-Blake, founder of WIF, their primary goal is to assist young women, ages 18-35, reintegrate into society to achieve personal, educational, spiritual, and professional success.

“We have remained steadfast in pursuing our core objectives by consistently providing support to our beneficiaries. However, we have also adapted to meet the needs of a broader demographic. For instance, while our focus is on women ages 18-35, we expanded the age range for our current cohort to include women aged 50+ due to significant interest. As a result, we extended the programme to accommodate three additional beneficiaries with this age group, while still maintaining our original objectives,” Nooks-Blake said.

The foundation has continued to assist women through its flagship programme, the Women at Risk (WAR) initiative, that is a structured, phased initiative spanning 12 months, offering tailored support to their beneficiaries.

“Our objectives are pursued to benefit the public by addressing issues such as poverty, promoting mental and physical well-being, and improving the socio-economic conditions of young women across Jamaica,” Nooks-Blake said.

Under this WAR Initiative, the foundation currently provides a variety of structured programmes and activities that include, spiritual and psychological support, life coaching, and skills training to help women rebuild their lives.

Through partnerships with local organisations and institutions, they organise educational programmes and workforce development initiatives to enhance employability. They also engage in various fundraising efforts to finance programmes and provide direct support to participants.

Internship and work-experience placements are established to boost participants’ employability and career readiness, and for urgent cases, they provide temporary shelter, financial aid, and other forms of emergency support.

These initiatives, she said, are designed to ensure that beneficiaries gain the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to transform their lives.

The Woman Ignite Success Summit (WISS) serves as one of the foundation’s main fundraising events each year. All proceeds from ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations directly support the foundation’s programmes and activities. WISS not only raises funds but also increases public awareness of the foundation’s work and mission.

WISS is a women’s event that aims to empower women to thrive in various areas of life. The 2025 summit will take place on Saturday, January 25, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.