Tag: News

Digicel’s support for Special Olympics transforms lives

With a grand vision of creating a society where no one is left behind, Digicel has made substantial commitments to fostering inclusivity through its unwavering support of the Special Olympics national organisations across the region.

For years, Digicel has stood as a dedicated sponsor of the Special Olympics, recognising the transformative power of sports in transcending barriers and empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities. Their ongoing sponsorship has paved the way for countless special needs athletes to showcase their talents and dreams on the international stage.

This year, Digicel’s philanthropic arm, the Digicel Foundation, reaffirmed its unwavering commitment by donating a generous sum of US$40,000 (J$6.2 million) to support the Special Olympics Jamaica team at the prestigious Special Olympics World Games, now underway in Berlin, Germany. As the international spotlight shines on these exceptional athletes, the digital operator stands as a pillar of support, enabling them to realise their dreams and aspirations.

Digicel’s transformative impact is not confined to the realm of sports alone. Since its establishment in 2004, the Digicel Foundation has sponsored an array of projects dedicated to youth development, skills training, agriculture, and social enterprise.

They have been a driving force behind empowering people with intellectual disabilities, investing a staggering $US10.9 million in special needs initiatives in Jamaica.

The company championed a range of projects since the inception of the Foundation, including the distribution of 1413 tablets to individuals with special needs and the construction or renovation of 20 special needs schools.

To gain further insight into Digicel’s expansive activities and initiatives supporting the Special Olympics and beyond, we encourage you to watch the video featuring Charmaine Daniels, CEO of Digicel Foundation Jamaica. In this captivating interview, she sheds light on the myriad endeavors undertaken by Digicel, truly exemplifying their commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowerment.

Source: Loop Jamaica | Digicel’s support for Special Olympics transforms lives

We had better wake up to the issue of ageing in Jamaica

Jean Lowrie-Chin

Mrs Jean Lowrie-Chin, who Jamaicans will call blessed for her work with the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP), hit the nail squarely on the head in her very helpful column in this newspaper.

“As hard as it is on Jamaicans to hear news of crime and violence, it is even worse for our elderly, especially those in violence-prone communities.

“Many suffer from underlying medical issues and disabilities and so the saying, ‘You can’t run, you can’t hide’ applies to them, literally. Besides that, abuse of the elderly is not only one of the most cruel and silent crimes in Jamaica, but also worldwide,” she wrote.

It is hard not feel a sense of remorse when one sees how senior citizens exist in Jamaica, generally speaking. The squalor bred by poverty that is the lot of too many in the rural parts is ugly and stomach-turning.

Add to that food security, inadequate access to specialised geriatric care, the high levels of violence and elder abuse pointed out by Mrs Lowrie Chin, and low levels of social security that expose them to sexual assaults and robbery.

There was once a popular view that one could judge the civilisation of a society by the way it treats its senior citizens, respecting them for their presumed experience, wisdom, and maturity. That appears to be a view of the past.

But Jamaica had better wake up to the reality that the country’s population is rapidly ageing. Our own Planning Institute of Jamaica insists that the population is becoming top heavy, with the elderly population — that is people aged 65 and over — expected to double by 2050, when they will constitute almost 20 per cent of the total population.

So, like the rest of the world, Jamaica will face the fact that an ageing population holds significant implications, such as will be immediately felt in labour market shortages and in the inadequacy of pension plans. That is in the short term and not somewhere off into the distant future.

In the latest revision of the National Policy for Senior Citizens, the state of the country’s aged is fairly accurately assessed and solutions to the challenges proposed through a multi-stakeholder approach designed to address social, economic and health barriers. We, of course, were dismayed to learn that only 23 per cent of the elderly have health insurance.

The stark reality is that the Government is doing almost as much as it can, given the limited resources, through programmes like the Jamaica Drugs for the Elderly, the National Health Fund, the National Insurance Scheme, the National Committee for Senior Citizens, and several others.

But a lot more will be necessary before we can hold our heads high about our treatment of the elderly.

The talk about forcing children to be responsible for their elderly parents is too thorny an issue to be relied on as a workable solution.

We might need to consider a two per cent tax on salaries above $10 million a year to build more infirmaries and assisted living facilities, increase social pension benefits, expand feeding programmes, subsidise transportation, and monitor private nursing homes, many of which are a putrid excuse for such.

This kind of tax will recognise the importance of tackling the problem as a national one and should be considered, even if it means putting it to a referendum.

Source: Jamaica Observer | We had better wake up to the issue of ageing in Jamaica

Food For The Poor, a Beacon of Hope for 36 Years

Since 1982, Food For The Poor donors have provided life-transforming work throughout the Caribbean and Latin American. Hundreds of thousands of the forgotten, the hungry and the poor have been blessed with a new opportunity in life, renewing that spark of hope for them and future generations.

Since inception, Food For The Poor donors have built more than 124,800 housing units, installed a total of 2,064 water wells, and sent more than 82,450 containers of essential goods to help people in the 17 countries where the charity serves.

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A fisherman in Honduras proudly holds up one of many fish he caught in the Caribbean Sea. Food For The Poor’s Fishing Village program supplies destitute coastal villages with fiberglass boats with outboard engines, global positioning systems, fishing tackle, 100-quart coolers, safety equipment, a gear shed with a freezer, a generator and a powerful solar-powered street light for the village common area, as well as training in deep-sea fishing. There are 15 fishing villages in Jamaica, 39 in Haiti, 15 in Honduras and one in Dominica. (Photo by Food For The Poor)

One of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States, Food For The Poor always has been about empowering families to become self-sustaining. The charity believes an education is an important key to breaking the cycle of poverty and is committed to providing children with an education. Over last three decades, more than 450 schools have been built, repaired or expanded.

“The mission of Food For The Poor is to link the church of the First World with the church of the Third World in a manner that helps both the materially poor and the poor in spirit,” said President/CEO of Food For The Poor Robin Mahfood. “Everything that this organization has done in these 36 years has been to transform and equip people to help themselves and their families. All of this is made possible with God’s blessing. Our donors and our staff are an extension of our Lord’s mercy, and they are the ones who make helping the poor possible.”

 

FFP hurrican relief
Volunteers for the Episcopal Church in Puerto Rico assemble relief items sent by Food For The Poor donors to help families recovering from Hurricane Maria. (Photo/Food For The Poor)

When it comes to natural disasters, Food For The Poor is eager to offer assistance. The charity has provided aid at the onset of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and remains involved in the ongoing recovery work. Thanks to its generous donors and partners, thousands of families in Puerto Rico are getting much needed aid, four months after Hurricane Maria destroyed much of the island. So far, Food For The Poor has shipped 69 tractor-trailer loads of aid to Puerto Rico.

Food For The Poor is working with the Catholic charity Caritas to distribute relief. Caritas Puerto Rico started in 1969 and has 200 parishes in 60 municipalities on the island. Food For The Poor also is working with the Episcopal Church to assure the distribution of the relief items. The church has 52 parishes throughout the island, warehouses and transportation, which are vital for reaching the rural communities.

Previously, Food For The Poor provided aid following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

The charity also is keeping its promise to the people of Haiti to be there for the long haul following the 2010 earthquake. Since the Jan. 12, 2010, disaster, Food For The Poor has built 8,717 permanent two-room concrete block homes with water and sanitation, built or restored 44 schools in the Port-au-Prince area, and has installed 151 water filtration units. Each water filtration unit purifies and chlorinates up to 10,000 gallons of water a day for a total of 1,510,000 gallons of clean water daily.

“Food For The Poor is honored to be able to help as many people as possible to rebuild their lives following tragedies caused by natural disasters, we understand that a natural disaster can take aim at any of us at any given time, but the road to recovery is nearly impossible for poor families in rural communities,” said Mahfood. “This is why we always will do what we can for as long as we can to provide assistance for families recovering from the catastrophic disasters in the Caribbean, the United States and in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. We will continue to do this as we celebrate 36 years of service.”

Food For The Poor donors also build hospitals and community centers that provide technical training. The charity has implemented animal husbandry, agricultural and aquaculture projects. These projects, such as beekeeping and fishing villages, are not only a food source but they are helping the poor to generate income.

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance. Over the last 10 years, fundraising and other administrative costs averaged less than 5% of our expenses; more than 95% of all donations, including donated goods, went directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Honesty, Integrity, Trust – For 95 Years And Beyond

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The following is an edited version of remarks delivered by Don Wehby, group CEO of GraceKennedy Limited, at the company’s 95th anniversary church service held at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston on Sunday:

Not too long ago, as a youngster in khakis, I visited this church every first Friday for worship. In those days, it was mandatory. As I look back on my life, I’m thankful that it was. Those hours of prayer shaped my early spiritual identity and prepared me for a path which I could never have imagined would have led me to standing here before you as CEO of GraceKennedy. It just shows how important it is to dream big, work hard, and give God thanks.

I have also seen – both in my personal and business life – that it is God who makes all things possible, and He can take people, institutions and countries further than they or others could ever imagine. So today, we have come to this house to reflect and give thanks, fully aware that 95 years would not have been possible solely on human strength.

I salute each founder, director, and employee of GraceKennedy from the beginning to now, for the strength, commitment, passion and faith to have laboured in love to make this company what it is today. We honour our founders Dr John Grace, Fred Kennedy and James Moss-Solomon Sr and former CEOs Carlton Alexander, Rafael Diaz and Douglas Orane. And there are many other unsung heroes. I acknowledge members of the founding families who are with us today. We thank God for using them as vessels to build a company that shows love to our people and to our country.

IN PRAISE OF TEAM MEMBERS

We talk about this all the time and it is still worth mentioning: In 1925, we offered employees the right to purchase shares in the company at par. Also, in 1951, GraceKennedy became the first Jamaican company to establish free health, and superannuation schemes, and life insurance for staff. Today, we continue to look for every opportunity to ensure that our staff are well taken care of and can provide for their families.

I would like to salute our retirees. Many of them are here today or would have wanted to be. We hold them dear because of all they have given and how they continue to hold us in their hearts. They give us strength to continue every day. And they are very special to me.

We have a great executive team, which is committed to living the core values and continuing the tradition of leadership and service. We are thankful for their passion and commitment to GK.

JUST THE BEGINNING

Ninety-five years for some businesses is more than a lifetime. But for us, in some ways, it is just the beginning. The best is yet to come. From our humble early days, we have grown from strength to strength, and today, we are fixed on the goal of being a global world-class consumer group. GraceKennedy’s journey to the world is in full flight, with offices in Jamaica, the Caribbean, North America, UK and Europe, and Africa.

As we continue to grow and give the world a taste of who we are, we are more committed than ever to serving our Jamaican market with quality products and to keep GraceKennedy’s brands as household names. We are also encouraged to contribute to the growth of Jamaica and the communities in which we do business wherever we are in the world.

I believe wholeheartedly that even from birth, we have been a company ahead of its time, constantly looking beyond and thinking ahead. We know that greater things lie ahead. History has proven that when a solid foundation is put down, you can build with peace of mind. We have set our foundation, and we are building! And as I tell my team, I know there will be challenges, but if we fall down nine times, we are to get up 10!

Honesty, integrity, trust, humility and commitment are cherished core values which are our compass as we move forward with hope and optimism for the future. These are the same values that I learnt from my parents in this church over 30 years.

May God bless each of you, and our country, Jamaica. I pray for peace and love in this great country.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner | Honesty, integrity, trust – for 95 years and beyond

GraceKennedy At 95 – A Shining Example Of Corporate Success

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This year marks 95 years since the GraceKennedy Group was founded. Starting life as Grace, Kennedy and Company Limited in Kingston, Jamaica, in February 1922, the company has survived many challenges over the period to become a name which Jamaicans – at home and abroad – can truly be proud of.

Founded by Dr John J. Grace and Fred William Kennedy, who both worked for Grace Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of W.R. Grace & Company of New York, GraceKennedy in its early days was involved in the sugar industry, and the importation of products, chief among which were salt fish and fertiliser.

This was at a time when other companies and the government of the day were looking to the mother country – England – for economic solutions. The company broke with tradition and pursued business opportunities in new exciting frontiers such as in the United States of America and Canada.

Establishing the philosophy ‘Take what is good for Jamaica and make it good for GraceKennedy’, throughout the years, the company has sought to make itself a partner in Jamaica’s development – with government, its shareholders, employees and with the wider community.

 

NATIONAL PRIDE

The company’s emergence coincided with the global recovery from the devastating World War I a few years earlier. Bouyed by a combination of entrepreneurial spirit and national pride, GraceKennedy pursued interests in importing, exporting and insurance, and steadily established its distribution network throughout rural Jamaica.

During this time also, the company developed a tradition of rewarding hard work and loyalty of the ‘small man’ – becoming perhaps the first company to offer shares to its employees in 1924. The adoption of accounting practices of the highest international standards has served GraceKennedy well.

Throughout the many decades of its existence, GraceKennedy has been involved in most aspects of Jamaica’s economy, such as the manufacture and distribution of a range of foods and soap products, salt, and motorcycles; shipping; contract farming; banking; insurance; investments; and money services, among other enterprises. By earning from multiple sources, the company has been able to survive and do well even during difficult times..

 

Committed To Jamaica

In 2012, GraceKennedy, through its more than 60 subsidiaries in more than 60 countries worldwide, recorded before-tax revenues of more than $60 billion. It is considered one of the blue-chip companies on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and the most successful local business entity in Jamaican history.

With all its success, GraceKennedy has not abandoned its roots in downtown Kingston and continues to maintain its headquarters there. As a demonstration of its commitment to Kingston, it is in the process of expanding its presence with the development of new corporate offices scheduled to be completed in late 2018. GraceKennedy thrives from the opportunities presented from its proximity downtown to transportation – by sea, air and land; as well as legal, accounting and telecommunications services. Also, by operating downtown, GraceKennedy, is among the companies which have signalled long-term commitment to the city’s renewal.

GraceKennedy has established two charitable foundations through which it channels lasting contributions to nation building. The Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation, a partnership between the company’s management and staff, was established in 1979 in response to the poor social and economic conditions existing in the inner-city communities surrounding the company’s headquarters. Chief among the Grace and Staff Foundation’s activities is the GraceKennedy Education Run held annually in July.

 

EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP

The GraceKennedy Foundation focuses mostly on education for the long-term benefit of Jamaica, offering a range of scholarships and grants at the secondary and tertiary levels.

Central to GraceKennedy’s success has been the visionary leadership brought by Luis Fred Kennedy, the legendary Carlton Alexander, A. Rafael Diaz, Douglas Orane and the present Chief Executive Officer, Don Wehby. The combination of principled leadership, loyal staff and data-driven decision-making have developed a diversified business that today includes banking and financial services, remittances, insurance, manufacturing, retail and distribution.

The company has adjusted its focus from being a Jamaican food company to being an international food and financial services conglomerate serving Jamaicans across the globe, as well as people from other countries who share in the delight of the high-quality products and world-class services for which the company is known. GraceKennedy’s presence is not only felt in the Caribbean, Europe and North America, but is growing rapidly in Africa, the ancestral home of most Jamaicans.

Without doubt, GraceKennedy will continue to impact positively on the lives of Jamaicans as it closes in on an illustrious century.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170214/gracekennedy-95-shining-example-corporate-success

 

 

RJRGLEANER Employee Wins $10M In ‘Q Is The Key To Cash 4 Life’

cash-4-life-winner-mark-brown

When Mark Brown, an employee of The RJRGleaner Communi-cations Group, bought Qs of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum to assist his sister with adding flavour to her Christmas cakes, little did he know there was a blessing of $10 million in return for him.

Brown is now one of two grand prize winners in the recently concluded J. Wray & Nephew ‘Q is the Key to Cash 4 Life’ competition.

Brown saved every Q he bought to help his sister, and entered the codes via text as instructed for the competition, and on January 29 he was told of his life-changing win.

“I feel elated, excited, nervous, blessed and favoured. This is something I have been praying for – a financial blessing. I think God has actually blessed me today,” said Brown, who was just returning home from church when the team from J.Wray & Nephew Limited announced his victory to him.

“The only thing I can do is give God thanks and praise for it. This is my breakthrough. I have prayed for it and a lot of people have prayed for it to happen for me too, and I am just giving thanks for it,” added Brown, before calling his mother to tell her the good news.

HOW HE WILL SPEND IT

When asked how he plans to spend the money, the first thing he could think of doing were acts of kindness.

“I have some family members who I want to help and my children overseas. I can now put towards their college fund. Last month, I borrowed a major loan to take care of some things, but if I knew this was going to happen I wouldn’t have done that,” said Brown.

Howard Cover, a resident of Portland, is the other grand prize winner of the ‘Q is the Key to Cash 4 Life’ competition. Like Brown, he intends to use his winnings to give to those in need, especially his family members.

“I have three grandchildren whom I want to help with the money. I want to see to it that they get a good education. They are 16, 10 and eight. I am also going to buy some property with the money, invest some otherwise, mostly in farming, which is what I know about,” said Cover.

According to Pietro Gramegna, marketing manager, J. Wray & Nephew Limited, the company is elated that it could have enriched the lives of two deserving Jamaicans.

“We at J. Wray & Nephew Limited are always envisioning ways to enrich the lives of our consumers. With the ‘Q is the Key to Cash 4 Life’ promotion, two flasks of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum allowed two loyal consumers to become real millionaires,” said Gramegna.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170205/rjrgleaner-employee-wins-10m-q-key-cash-4-life

New JMMB Her Wealth offering targets women

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A recent study conducted by the International Labour Organization identified Jamaica as one of the top three countries where ‘the boss’ is likely to be female. These statistics in the study Women in Business and Management, Gaining Momentum are not surprising, as women account for more than 70 per cent of students enrolled at the tertiary level in major local universities.

Climbing the corporate ladder marks a different, if not new, milestone for women, as they have stood the test of time, often seeking work/life balance — in the case of working mothers — even as they juggle varying roles while pursuing their dreams.

In support of the empowerment of women to achieve their financial goals, the JMMB Group has announced the introduction of JMMB Her Wealth, a complete package of financial solutions which includes investments, loans, savings facilities and insurance. As part of the customisation of the offerings to better cater to women, JMMB also provides a maternity loan, and coverage of handbag contents against theft as part of their motor vehicle insurance offering.

According to JMMB Jamaica Country Manager Kisha Anderson, women have shown their continued intention to attain financial success in Jamaica.

“We aim to facilitate and assist our clients to achieve their goals. This new offering is in response to a perceived gap that has been identified in the market, and research that suggests the need for financial institutions to deepen their relationship with women in order to meet their unique financial needs,” she explained.

Anderson says JMMB Her Wealth is designed as a special and remarkable vehicle for this purpose, and is the first of its kind in the market.

The JMMB Her Wealth packaged solution also includes a rewards programme that offers JMMB Her Wealth clients special access to discounts (or other benefits) of up to 20 per cent from partnering companies.

The partners selected to be a part of the JMMB Her Wealth Rewards programme are established organisations that offer support services that are typically utilised by women in their daily lives. These include auto servicing and maintenance; food; home care; medical services; counselling; beauty and spa services; computers and accessories; and children’s products and accessories.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/allwoman/issues/New-JMMB-Her-Wealth-offering-targets-women_87598

Gleaner Honour Awards A Big Deal, Say Recipients

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Being recognised by The Gleaner through its annual Honour Awards carries a lot of weight. Representatives of four category winners – the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for science and technology; the Calabash International Literary Festival for arts and culture; Food For the Poor, recipient for voluntary service; and National Commercial Bank for education – made that clear during yesterday’s second of three category luncheons hosted by the media house at its North Street, central Kingston, head office.

On Monday, February 20, The Gleaner will choose from the awardees the man, woman or company deemed best to have contributed significantly to improving Jamaica’s quality of life, at any time in the preceding 12 months, or is likely to bring about such a change in the immediate future.

For those honoured yesterday, the recognition has been invaluable.

“Clearly, when anybody in the arts is acknowledged for the work they do, it’s a big deal, because there is no monetary reward in the arts. So what you hope and pray for is that your work makes a difference in other ways. So when you get an award such as this one, it allows you to get more recognition, more prominence to be able to do work that you may not have been able to do otherwise. It gives you legitimacy and a stamp of approval that is so important in the arts,” Justine Henzell, co-founder and producer of the Calabash International Literary Festival, shared.

Andrew Mahfood, chairman of Food For the Poor, said it would serve as motivation to do even more for its charges.

“The organisation is humbled by this award from The Gleaner for voluntary service. We have a lot of work to do [because] there are a lot more people who are living in poverty conditions and we hope to be able to help them,” he disclosed.

 

Goes Way Beyond JPS

 

Meanwhile, Gary Barrow, chief technology officer for the JPS, spoke to the far-reaching impact of the award.

“We are really very excited because we think that this goes way beyond JPS. We are fortunate that the introduction of the new technology actually allows us to help Jamaica in terms of growth and prosperity, which is a critical part of our vision statement – that we are the people unleashing Jamaica’s growth and prosperity. So we understand the role energy plays in economic growth and we believe there is a really big opportunity out there to help us to use technology to accelerate that growth.”

Author Marlon James was also recognised with a special award in the arts and culture category.

The final category award luncheon is slated for Wednesday, February 1, when winners in the categories public service and business will be recognised, ahead of the February 20 grand gala event at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com

Food For The Poor assists family, elderly with houses

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A Portland family and an elderly man are the latest beneficiaries of houses from philanthropic organisation Food For The Poor (FFP) after their plight was highlighted by the Jamaica Observer North East in 2015.

The family of four, which includes a wheelchair-bound man, was desperately in need of a house to get out of the crammed space they shared in the back room of a relative’s house in Waybridge, Portland, for years.

Observer North & East reported in 2015 that Jacqueline Thompson, her two daughters and her physically challenged son all shared a single bed in a room which an aunt allowed them to stay in, after they had been living in the garage for some time.

At the time, Thompson stressed that she needed help to get back on her feet.

“I am feeling happy about getting my house. I thank God as I can’t leave him out,” she said.

Thompson also thanked justice of the peace and pastor of the Church of God in Christ at Long Road, Roy Titus, who tried desperately to get assistance for the family. He described their situation as “dire,” then.

She also thanked the Ministry of Housing for the land space, Food For The Poor for the house, the Observer for highlighting her need, and the parish council and the National Insurance Scheme for their assistance.

“I am a happy person now. It was a long and horrible wait; I cried sometimes. The children are very happy, especially my son Okeno,” Thompson shared.

The house, which is located at Darlingford Housing Scheme in Manchioneal in the parish, was handed over last October. Thompson said FFP has also pledged to donate furniture.

A visually impaired elderly man was also the beneficiary of a house from FFP.

Urnal Taylor lived in a dirt-floor, one-bedroom house in Boston in the parish for years, before FFP read of his plight in the

Observer and presented him with the keys for a new house.

“This house is beautiful as much as mi can’t see it. I am comfortable and mi have space. Thanks to all the people who helped me, and the gentleman here, Pastor Titus. The blessings on his shoulders can’t come off. Welcome; welcome,” he said with a broad grin on his face.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/regional/Food-For-The-Poor-assists-family–elderly-with-housesObserver-North-and-East-article-spurs-action——-_87286

Women Dominate JMMB Client Base

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JMMB Group has launched a suite of products designed especially for women in response to a trend observed over the years where a greater number of its clients are female.

Its client base is currently 59 per cent female, according to JMMB country manager for Jamaica Kisha Anderson at the unveiling of a new product, JMMB Her Wealth, at an event in New Kingston.

Under the new offerings, women will be able to access insurance, investments, loans and savings accounts, the company said, “from a financial institution that has sought to customise some of its financial solutions to empower women to achieve their financial goals”, JMMB said in a statement.

By tailoring products for women, JMMB said it positions the company to attract even more business from the demographic.

“Research indicates that women represent a huge potential market opportunity for growth across many industries, including finance where there are gaps perceived in the way financial institutions cater to women and their unique needs,” Anderson said in the company release.

PROFIT NOT MAIN OBJECTIVE

Speaking with Financial Gleaner at the launch, Anderson said that while JMMB anticipates a wide take-up of the new products, profit was not the primary objective.

“As we were thinking about this campaign, we weren’t necessarily thinking about a dollar figure. The objective of the campaign is us being intentional about reaching out to women,” she said.

“If you think about our revenues and profit, it’s a near 60/40 split in terms of the revenue we make from women,” said the JMMB Jamaica head.

JMMB Her Wealth will also feature a rewards programme for services typically utilised by women. The company has partnered with merchants who offer medical care, beauty, auto, and home and garden services to provide five to 20 per cent discounts, among others benefits for women.

To design JMMB Her Wealth, Anderson said focus groups and surveys were conducted over a 12- to 18-month period.

“Before we started the study, we had several focus groups where we asked the women about their needs and expectations of a financial house. We found out what their dreams are so we could figure out how we will help them towards those things,” she said.

“You find that women don’t generally trust themselves when it comes to financial products, so improving their financial literacy is something that we want to focus on.”

JMMB says it will be hosting quarterly financial education sessions aimed at women.

tameka.gordon@gleanerjm.com

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20170120/women-dominate-jmmb-client-base