BROTHERS Robert and Mark White, the founders of Sanmerna Paper Products Limited and the Sanmerna Foundation, were honoured by the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) in the United States on Friday for their humanitarian missions on the island which have helped to improve and save the lives of many Jamaicans.

The brothers received the International Humanitarian Award at the AFJ Hummingbird Gala which was held at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York.

AFJ also recognised and gave awards to renowned singer, songwriter, model and actress Grace Jones as well as Vanessa Noel, who is a designer and is the founder of Vanessa Noel Shoes. Both Jones and Noel were honoured with the International Achievement Award.

Robert, who is the managing director of the paper products company and its philanthropic foundation, exuded pride having received recognition from a prestigious organisation such as AFJ for always being willing to give a helping hand to the less fortunate.

He was especially proud of the work he and his brother have been doing, by using their network and the profits from their business to empower the less fortunate, as both of them grew up very poor.

Sanmerna Paper Products was founded 21 years ago while it launched its foundation in 2015.

“We are very elated to receive this award. From the day my brother and I started the foundation, we don’t do what we do to receive any recognition, we just do it from our heart. What we do is try to give people hope. When you can give people hope it is a blessing. The Sanmerna Foundation has given a lot of scholarships to individuals. We also help a lot of people with medical equipment and medical bills. We do a lot in helping young entrepreneurs start up their own business.

“That was something we continued to do until we expanded to help burn victims. We also focus on peace. In areas where there is war, we always bring activities like football competitions to let people come together and cut down the crime. We also do beauty pageants in volatile communities like Waterhouse and Hannah Town. After the pageant in Hannah Town, we sent away the first-place winner and second-place contestant on a work programme in the US [United States] and everything is going well,” Robert told the Jamaica Observer following the awards ceremony.

“It is an honour. I am sorry my mother wasn’t here to see us get this award but I know she is watching from above. We are doing all this for mom and dad. Let me tell you something, my brother and I didn’t have it easy coming up. We had hard times.

“My brother and I had struggles and if we should talk about it, we would just keep talking and talking. There are times when I was going to school and the bottom of my shoe, which had a hole in it, I had to put a piece of cardboard over that hole. When it rained, I would make up my face because my shoes would flood out,” Robert added.

He explained that his brother planted callaloo, which he sold to help make ends meet and said that memories of the struggles they faced growing up is what makes it easy for them when deciding to give back to the poor.

In the meantime Mark encouraged people to always seek to extend a helping hand to those in need.

“Don’t think about the amount. Whatever you can do to help somebody, just make a difference in their life. We do a lot of work in terms of giving towards back-to-school, helping out disabled children, and also painting the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. We go above and beyond and out of our scope to help burn victims beyond even what we can afford sometimes. What we do is seek sponsors for them and send them overseas to further their treatment,” Mark explained.

Very proud of the success and philanthropic work of the brothers was former US Ambassador to Jamaica Pamela Bridgewater who is a member of the AFJ board of directors.

“Tonight is a personal pleasure and honour for me because I consider Robert as my son. When I met him he was starting the business with his brother and the business grew but not only did the business grow, but his heart for humanity and fellow Jamaicans grew. I encouraged them and they took the ball and ran with it. They have been making positive changes in the lives of so many Jamaicans and I am proud and honoured,” Bridgewater said.

“The International Humanitarian Award is given to individuals who have done philanthropic work in their communities and have changed lives. What Robert, Mark, and the Sanmerna Foundation have been doing for burn victims especially, we find that so noteworthy. I think it is also noteworthy that the Government is trying to build a worthy hospital for burn victims in Jamaica. We can attribute that all to the work of Sanmerna,” Bridgewater added.

AFJ is a 40-year-old organisation that was founded by former US ambassador to Jamaica, the late Glen Holden. Subsequent ambassadors to Jamaica became members of the organisation after ending their term of office on the island.

Bridgewater said she was proud to be able to be a part of the team that is continuing the legacy.

“The American Friends of Jamaica is the only organisation where former ambassadors continue to serve and work for philanthropic causes in the countries in which they were accredited. We don’t just do work for uplifting communities through health, education and economics. Those are our main functions but when there are immediate needs like after Hurricane Beryl, we come to the rescue.

“We raised over US$500,000 for Beryl relief. We couldn’t predict that, but over 1,000 people contributed to the Beryl relief fund that AFJ administered with Food For the Poor and with other organisations,” Bridgewater said.