The Supreme Ventures Foundation (SVF) has launched ‘Supreme Heroes’, its flagship programme for 2020 that recognises micro businesses across the island which are integral to the development and well-being of members of their communities.

Director of SVF, Heather Goldson says Supreme Heroes, a unique outreach programme powered by SVF, seeks to identify unsung heroes who use the limited resources from their small businesses to lend a hand to those in need.

“The Supreme Heroes programme is twofold: not only are we recognising the heroes who have gone above and beyond for their community, but we are supporting them by providing them with training and resources to increase their capacity and grow their business, which sustains so many,” she said.

Goldson said that Supreme Heroes goes further than the usual outreach programme in that it seeks to enhance both the business and outreach operations of each beneficiary enterprise. Acknowledging that the two are inextricably linked, Goldson said that by boosting these home-grown businesses, the owners will generate more resources to do their good deeds, and by regulating their outreach they will be in a better position to access funding from other sources.

“While we asked the public for nominations and narrowed it down from a wide field, we were very strategic in who we chose to include in the programme. The persons we chose are those with a proven track record of making an impact in their community, and have the potential to continue this trend if given additional training and guidance. We intend to provide them with the skill set and outlay to reach even more persons,” she said.

The project is being facilitated through Changemakers Limited, who are organising the roll-out of the programme with the assistance of the Mona Entrepreneurial and Commercialisation Centre (MECC). As programme partners, Changemakers is the chief liaison between the participants and the Foundation and will ensure that the programme is executed as planned. The MECC will provide the training and guidance for the community-based businesses.

At the end of the programme each participant should be registered as both a business and a charitable organisation, if applicable, and will have a unique five-year business plan inclusive of a comprehensive financial plan which will be a road map to sustainability. Participants will also have a better working knowledge of basic business practices.

Goldson said that in addition to business training, the onset of COVID-19 highlighted the need for the programme to assist the businesses in developing risk mitigation and continuation strategies.

“While we are aware of the impact of COVID19 on business, we also recognise how the pandemic would have adversely affected vital assistance like the type provided by our heroes, in a time when people need it most. The programme will also focus on building resilience and risk mitigation to ensure that both their business and outreach can continue in the face of external shocks,” she said.