GoodHeart | A ‘Supreme Venture’ to build a better nation

Through its legacy projects, the Supreme Ventures Foundation (SVF) has desirously affixed itself with an earnest responsibility to build a better nation. The foundation, which was established to support the Supreme Ventures Group’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, has focused on projects that have a lasting and significant impact on the social well-being of the country. As a proponent for the people, SVF aims primarily to address those areas that spearhead the country, which are health, education, and sports.

Since its inception, the foundation has been lauded for its steadfast commitment and lasting contributions.

SVF director, Heather Goldson, says the company has been fulfilling its vision, which is to advance its members’ philanthropic goals through transformational projects. The venture includes improving public healthcare, bringing educational institutions into the 21 century through the use of information technology, and undertaking long-term initiatives for Jamaica’s growth and development in sport.

“We have done our research, which has guided our direction. A lack of access to good healthcare is a serious issue, as is a lack of access to good education. Also, through our sports, we are able to identify talents, and these greats have brought a different level of recognition to our country. Therefore, the lack of growth and development of sports in Jamaica can be stifling for our country in many ways and I know improving these areas will benefit our country tremendously. It is not just about making a positive impact on the local and global communities; we want to ensure our goals are fulfilled as we go on our venture, “Goldson emphasised.

The foundation has not shied away from its commitment to improving national health. Last year, SVF donated four oxygen concentrators to the University Hospital of the West Indies to assist medical staff in providing the required levels of oxygen to patients suffering from respiratory illnesses. Along with this, the organisation partnered with the Zayn B. Ennis Foundation (ZBE) to donate approximately $15 million to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Also, the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) received a donation of over $12 million from SVF, which was geared towards the hospital’s renovation efforts.

Goldson noted the importance of supporting healthcare workers. She also expressed that the foundation will continue to work with the medical facilities in support of the country’s health system.

“Our healthcare workers are consistently under tremendous pressure, and we have to support them in any way we can. The goal is to aid in making their lives easier and more comfortable as they work tirelessly to save lives. We’re always happy to support our doctors and nurses because, to us, they are heroes. We look forward to continuing to provide much-needed assistance for many years to come,” she said.

PARTNERSHIP

Apart from supporting the country’s medical system, Goldson said the foundation has worked assiduously to transform the everyday lives of Jamaicans. In 2021, the company, in partnership with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), provided full four-year scholarships worth approximately $100 million to subsidise the academic ambitions of 20 extraordinary youngsters in State care.

“Our intention was to provide them with an educational opportunity that may have appeared unreachable for them in the past. We don’t want to lament the fact that these students are underprivileged; we just want to celebrate their hard work. As a matter of fact, the scholarship was not handed to them; they earned it. We are just assisting in creating more doctors, lawyers, teachers, and others who will, in turn, contribute to our country,” she noted.

Adding to their contribution, 2021 marked four years in which the foundation has partnered with the Government to improve the safety and well-being of children in State care. In 2019, the foundation signed an MOU with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information in response to a deadly fire at the Walker’s Place of Safety, which claimed the lives of two children in 2018.

Following that, the foundation implemented a multimillion-dollar fire safety programme that has so far upgraded the fire alarm systems in 22 homes islandwide. Also, ongoing training was provided for staff and wards on how to conduct themselves during an emergency.

Targeting communities, the organisation took the initiative and catalysed a ‘Supreme Heroes’ programme that aims to recognise people who are having a positive effect on their communities. Previously, the owner of Miss Jenny’s Corner shop in Norwood, St James, Jennifer Brown, was awarded a grant to help grow her social enterprise while simultaneously empowering herself and her community.

Goldson expressed that the foundation will continue to devote itself to making that lasting and supreme impact on the social well-being of the country.

“Jamaica has been overly blessed with talent and drive that should never be taken for granted and should always be nurtured and encouraged. We are on that venture to build a better nation and there is no turning back,” she expressed.