THE Seprod Foundation has commended RISE Life Management for 30 years of contribution to Jamaica’s social development.

For the past seven years, Seprod Foundation has worked closely with RISE to provide financial support for the work the organisation has been doing in communities across Jamaica.

Originally founded in 1989 as Addiction Alert to offer the island’s first out-patient treatment centre for addictive disorders, RISE Life Management has since grown to become one of the most recognisable civil society organisations in Jamaica.

RISE delivers community-based interventions in inner-city communities, with an emphasis on life management skills, employability and entrepreneurial training, human rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual abuse prevention, and governance and capacity-building for civil society organisations islandwide.

The organisation also offers employee assistance programmes, support for State wards in juvenile detention centres, sexual abuse prevention programmes for youth, as well as youth leadership training. Their programmes have cumulatively impacted over 160,000 adults and youths.

The collaboration between Seprod Foundation and RISE began in 2013, and has since expanded from a $250,000 annual support package to $1-million annual commitment, and one of the foundation’s most important civil society partnerships. Funds provided by the foundation help to cover the applicant’s contribution, enabling various project-specific grant-funding opportunities, and assists in offsetting operational expenses.

Seprod Foundation Chairperson Melanie Subratie reflected on the relationship, noting that 30 years is an incredible milestone for any organisation, but even moreso for ones like RISE, which provides such important and needed services to Jamaica.

“When the foundation first partnered with RISE it was because of how much we admired their dedication to nation-building, and how complementary their mission was to that of the foundation. So far it has been an incredible journey, and I look forward to many more years of close collaboration,” she said.

The benefits of the partnership were also extolled by RISE Executive Director Sonita Morin Abrahams, who stated that the foundation has been an important source of support for its initiatives for several years.

“We appreciate the commitment they have made to help us achieve our mission. In our field of work, it is important to have partners like the Seprod Foundation, which has remained consistent over the years and who can be counted on to provide help when it is needed,” she said.

Seprod Foundation funds and organises early childhood intervention initiatives, tech-based training, fosters entrepreneurship skills, and strengthens communities through scholarships and grants.