KINGSTON, Jamaica – Red Stripe has contributed $720,000 towards tuition for 12 participants in the University of the West Indies Community Film Project (UWICFP).

UWICFP, which started in 2012, is a product of the Centre for Tourism and Policy Research (CTPR) at the Mona Campus. The programme began in August Town, but has expanded to other communities in Kingston and Montego Bay, and has trained youths from Jones Town, Trench Town, Mountain View, Mona Common, Canterbury, Norwood and Flankers.

Since its inception, the project has trained over 130 young people, as a result of partnerships with the Office of the Principal, UWI Mona Campus, and the Grace Kennedy Foundation’s Carlton Alexander Chair, which is held by the CTPR’s Director, Professor Ian Boxill.

The project has enjoyed remarkable success, with some participants being able to utilise their newly developed skills to attain gainful employment or become entrepreneurs after graduation.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on Friday November 20, between Red Stripe’s Learning for Life programme and UWICFP, to train inner-city youth in the fundamentals of film making.

According to Red Stripe’s Senior Communications Manager, LeVaughn Flynn, the company continues to be very committed to real and substantive community development projects that changes lives for the better, and advances the potential of the country’s young people.

“The mantra for Learning for Life is ‘Transforming Lives through Education’ and this partnership sets us up to do just that,” Flynn said.

Campus Registrar, Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson noted that with Red Stripe’s support, “we will be one step closer to fulfilling this goal, for yet another set of deserving young and ambitious students”.

Scholarship recipient, Donald Sangh, expressed his true appreciation to UWI and Red Stripe, noting that it has been a dream for most students, as without the monetary assistance their goal would have been a lot harder to attain.

“I hope to become a successful editor, director and producer in the film industry and this opportunity is bringing me one step closer,” Sangh added.

Balford Henry