The Sygnus Group has donated J$300,000 to Math Chattingz, a Youths For Excellence (YFE) initiative geared towards highlighting the applicability of mathematics in a greatly diversified range of careers.

Youths for Excellence is a registered charity for the holistic development of underserved youth, founded in 2015 by President and Board Co-Chair Jénine Shepherd when she was 17 years old,, because she recognised the effects of social and economic deprivation on young children at schools in Jamaica.

Today the organisation’s efforts and initiatives have had an impact throughout the Caribbean.

Guided by a vision to eradicate education inequality in the world, starting with the Caribbean region, the organisation serves inner-city youth across the region by providing them with the adequate tools of healthcare, nutrition and sound tutelage to put them on the path to success.

“At Sygnus, innovation is one of our guiding principles that enables us to unlock opportunities for our clients and those initiatives and organisations that we support and assist. In this same vein, we are proud to support Youths For Excellence in providing students across the Caribbean with the opportunity to broaden their access and potential for achieving future success via Mathematics,” noted Elizabeth James, VP Wealth and Client Services at Sygnus Group.

“This programme will introduce students to Mathematics at all levels and really help to break the stigma against the subject. Mathematics can open so many doors for our youth and can usher them into a world of opportunities and careers, not only in STEM-related fields but also in the Arts, Design, Health, Entertainment, and Finance—for which it is the foundation. We applaud Youths For Excellence for their innovation in creating this immersive and interactive experience that is sure to positively impact the perception of the subject amongst our youth!” 

The event was conceptualised by Youths For Excellence and will be executed in collaboration with the ministries of education in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Grenada and Barbados to benefit youth across the region.

“I am grateful to Sygnus for their contribution towards our Math Chattingz initiative. They have shown me two things: 1) they are committed to amplifying the voices of youth by supporting our work and 2) they are genuine in their fight against the inequalities that affect the Caribbean region. Their donation will go a far way in buying the much-needed school supplies for the children in the five countries that Math Chattingz targets, making the delivery of the educational content run more smoothly,” Youths For Excellence President and Board Co-Chair, Jénine Shepherd expressed.

HOLISTIC METHOD OF EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION

Since its inception, YFE has championed a holistic method of educational intervention.

The organisation has assisted children to receive not only textbooks but also tablets, health checkups, travel passes, lunch passes, and resources for their parents, to facilitate employment. The organisation has also collaborated on several multinational projects with multiple Caribbean governments and international organisations like the UNDP, CDB and UNESCO.