The VM Foundation partnered with the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) for the 2024 Read Across Jamaica Day initiative on May 7 to nurture a passion for reading among youth.

This year, several volunteers from the VM Group engaged in reading sessions with students at 24 schools and libraries in urban and rural communities across Jamaica.

The initiative specifically targeted schools and libraries in communities where literacy support is most needed, with the objective of supporting a reading culture and inspiring students to explore the world of literature. The partnership between the VM Foundation and the JLS underscores the significance of literacy as a driving force for youth and community progress.

Samantha Charles, CEO of the VM Foundation, participated in a reading session at Denham Town High and Alpha Infant schools in Kingston. “At the VM Foundation, our commitment to holistic youth development is firm, and the activities of Read Across Jamaica Day perfectly complement our core mission of promoting youth and community development. So, by partnering with the JLS to bring volunteers from the VM Group to read with students at schools and libraries across the island, we aim to foster a culture of literacy and cultivate a love for learning,” she said.

The VM Foundation and the JLS have a longstanding partnership aimed at promoting literacy in Jamaica. The Read Across Jamaica Day activities represent one of the milestones of this partnership. Over the past 3 years the two organizations have collaborated on various initiatives, including the National Reading Competition where the VM Group served as the lead partner in 2023, to empower youth through literacy. 

Meanwhile, Courtney Campbell, Chairman of the VM Foundation participated in a reading session with students at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Library. 

“We are pleased to once again support the Jamaica Library Service with Read Across Jamaica Day and contribute to the growth and development of the next generation of, not just readers, but leaders. VM Group’s role in this initiative underscores our dedication to advancing literacy as a catalyst for personal development among our children.”

This year, more than 50 team members from across the VM Group participated as volunteers in Read Across Jamaica Day across nine parishes.