THE family and friends of the late Mickhail Betancourt, a Portland resident and former Digicel employee, on Tuesday launched the King Betz Foundation in his memory.

Betancourt, whose nickname was King Betz, drowned in Portland in October 2015, after he went swimming with friends in a river in Claverty Cottage.

Since his death, the Mickhail Betancourt Building — a $30-million facility operated by the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and located in Orange Bay, Portland — was named in his honour. It was established through a partnership between the Government and the Digicel Foundation and opened last year.

The facility, which caters to special-needs children in Portland, can accommodate more 100 students.

On Tuesday, both the Digicel Foundation and Government supported the launch of the King Betz Foundation, which is a non-profit foundation supported by Mickhail’s family, friends and donors.

Member of Parliament for Portland Western Daryl Vaz, who brought greetings at the event, delivered on a promise he made at the opening of the Mickhail Betancourt Building last year and donated $500,000 to the foundation.

“This contribution will support the foundation’s effort in their breakfast and lunch feeding programme for the 100 students enrolled at the centre. [With] good nutrition being an important component to learning, I decided that this deserves special attention, hence my partnering with the KB (King Betz) foundation in this area,” he said.

“I will always applaud and be eternally grateful, as the people of Portland also are, to the Digicel Foundation for having built the centre of excellence for special-needs children in Orange Bay, in my West Portland constituency, and naming it after Mickhail as part of the legacy of his young life,” the MP continued.

Vaz made a commitment to donate $500,000 more to the foundation next year.

Meanwhile, Mickhail’s father Donovan Betancourt, who is also a Digicel employee, said he distinctly remembers the day of his son’s passing. He recounted how much of a philanthropist Mickhail was, and said it was a good way to honour his memory.

“We can choose to be sorrowful for all times to come or we can use his memories and the generosity of his legacy to give back and to kindle the spirit that fosters prosperity going forward, and we have chosen the latter,” he said.

Betancourt encouraged others to join the effort and contribute to the work of the foundation.

“Over the last two years we have been doing work. So what we’re doing here today is just using the occasion to say to you, as friends, as family, that we have been working and this is now a call for you to work with us,” he appealed.

Mickhail’s father also thanked those who have been contributing to the foundation since its including Digicel founder Dennis O’Brien, Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz, Waterfront Medical, Caribbean Maritime University, Digicel Foundation, and various departments at Digicel.

Since the opening of the institution, the KB Foundation has organised numerous events for the children, including Christmas treats, sports day and a back-to-school fair.

“Our most ambitious project yet is the feeding programme,” said Betancourt, who added that two hot meals — breakfast and lunch — are provided daily for the students.

In addition to the support given to children at the Mickhail Betancourt Building, the KB Foundation provides scholarships to students of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), of which Mickhail is a graduate.

CMU principal Elaine Hayden said each student who receives assistance is required to spend some time at the Mickhail Betancourt Building in Portland, as part of the terms of the award.

— Dorian Graham