Regional fintech company WiPay, in partnership with the Buju Banton Foundation, is empowering 20 wards of the state with its provision of Colour Gift Cards.

Through its WiCARE programme, WiPay aims to sustain the economic empowerment of marginalised communites by leveraging financial technology to offer assistance and opportunites for personal development.

The Colour GiJ cards, powered by WiPay, will give the wards the ability to go to the ATM, make cash withdrawals, make payments at point-of-sale terminals, and shop online.

Kibwe McGann, WiPay’s group chief marketng officer, explained the purpose behind providing the benefitting group of young men with GiJ cards: “Our intention is to empower them with a sense of independence and the freedom to make their own spending decisions. By having their own card and access to their own funds, these youths will now have the opportunity to participate in activities that are often taken for granted by individuals with debit/credit cards.”

WiPay has issued 20 loaded colour gift cards, each valued at J$155,000 (US$1000), under the WiCARE banner, in collaboration with the Buju Banton Foundation.

The presentations were made by Aldwyn Wayne, CEO and founder of WiPay, to Desmond Whitely, director of Sunbeam Boys’ Home, and Kimberley Ellioe, assistant director of Mount Olivet Boys’ Home, at Buju Banton’s studio in Kingston.

“We are extremely honoured  to partner with the Buju Banton Foundation in providing this financial tool,” said Wayne.

“For these young men who are transitioning out of the care of the state, we wanted to equip them with a product that would enable them to embark on their journey into the real world. By giving these young men at these institutions a chance to enter the real world, we are providing them with an opportunity to actively participate and contribute to society,” the WiPay chief exec added.

The Buju Banton Foundation has been selected as the first beneficiary of the WiPay Colour GiJ Card. The foundation focuses on providing skills training and educational opportunities  for youth, with a particular emphasis on at-risk males between the ages of eight and 18 years. Their mission aligns perfectly with WiPay’s goal of fostering personal, academic, and professional growth among young individuals in depressed communities and childcare facilities.

This partnership is said to mark a significant milestone in the WiCARE programme’s mission to uplift communities and ensure financial inclusion for all.

“By leveraging the power of financial technology, WiPay and the Buju Banton Foundation  are opening doors for disenfranchised youths, equipping them with the tools and opportunities they need to become positive contributors to society,” WiPay noted in its statement.