Sagicor Financial Company Limited (SFC) has donated $15 million to Project STAR, the social transformation programme being facilitated by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

The $2-billion, five-year Project STAR, which started last September, is targeting about 20 troubled communities, eight of which are in western Jamaica, which has seen a surge in violent crime in recent years.

“Such projects are in support of our commitment to improving the lives of the people in the communities in which we operate through collaborative efforts where we work together to transform lives and ultimately elevate humankind,” a company release quotes SFC’s Group President and CEO Andre Mousseau.

“We are pleased to be a part of a project that seeks to drive social and economic change and strengthen the resilience of communities through a multi-stakeholder approach, led by those benefiting from the impact. We therefore extend kudos to the project team for this admirable undertaking and are hopeful that this would spark similar advancements across the region, redounding to the benefit of as many as possible,” added Mousseau.

Project STAR Co-Chair Keith Duncan, in commenting on the support from Sagicor, said that the donation is in line with the project’s collaborative approach to community transformation.

“The Project STAR team is extremely grateful that the Sagicor Financial Company has come on board. This support is consistent with the STAR whole-a-wi approach as we continue with the work of driving transformation of marginalised communities, ensuring that they can maximise their potential, increase social cohesion, and deliver economic opportunities while reducing crime and violence,” he said.

Launched in July 2022, Project STAR uses targeted social and economic interventions to facilitate a national, collaborative, evidence-based approach to improved social outcomes at the community level.