TO mark its founder’s 76th birthday, this year the Rita Marley Foundation is opening the 2022 Rita Marley Scholarship Fund to assist women in overcoming obstacles to pursue higher education and achieving their dreams.

The foundation is investing $4,000,000.

According to the foundation, “the long-term development of a nation depends on how enabled all its citizens are to pursue the best quality of life possible. Educational advancement is one of the fundamental ways to achieve this life and Dr Rita Marley and her foundation are thankful to have the ability to help make higher education more accessible to women living on the lower socio-economic end of the spectrum. The foundation is charged with this mandate.”

Cedella Marley, CEO of the Bob Marley Group of Companies and daughter of Rita and Bob Marley, was equally complimenting of the gesture.

“Through the Rita Marley Scholarships, we can continue to motivate and uplift the financially challenged youth — especially women,” said Marley.

“With schools reopening for face-to-face classes, there is still a general energy of uncertainty surrounding education at this time, and mom is so pleased to be able to help our women reach their full potential,” she continued.

Aimed at empowering women, the scholarships will be awarded to 10 women currently enrolled in university for the 2022/2023 period. Of the 10 awardees, one will be a woman pursuing a career in nursing and another a single mother, who experienced teenage pregnancy. This single mother will be selected from applicants currently enrolled at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica (or similar institutions that enroll pregnant women).

A call for applications will be conducted through the Rita Marley Foundation’s website. Participating applicants, parents or guardians should submit applications for the programme via the online portal only. This online portal will guide the selection process by utilising a means test. Interviews of the shortlisted applicants will also be conducted to evaluate potential beneficiaries. Upon completion of the selection process, the Foundation will make the disbursements directly to the institutions where the awardees are enrolled.

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, July 31, 2022.