ROUND HILL, Hanover — In a show of commitment to youth empowerment through education, Hanover Charities has significantly expanded its scholarship programme this year, awarding an impressive $48 million to 295 students — up from $37 million to 219 recipients last year.

Hanover Charities is a non-profit organisation that was established in 1957. It, among other things, supports programmes that feed school children, the elderly and the indigent, as well as organisations that promote positive values and education.

Speaking during the annual grant ceremony at Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Katrin Casserly, chairman, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to improving lives through education.

Casserly told the
Jamaica Observer that the venue has outgrown its capacity to accommodate all 295 scholarship recipients. Consequently, the ceremony for the 76 new awardees has been pushed back to July 18 and will now be held at Hopewell Sports and Community Centre.

“Education is the bridge to opportunity, and we are deeply proud that this programme has become one of the most impactful in the nation — forming a true community,” Casserly said.

The $48 million in scholarship awards forms part of a $118-million disbursement by the charity organisation, which is primarily funded through proceeds from the annual Sugar Cane Ball and contributions from other donors, all of whom were saluted by the chair.

“We are immensely grateful to the Round Hill and Tryall owners and management, our ball guests, and the generous community of western Jamaica. Special thanks to our most significant individual donors — Sir Christopher Hohn, Stiftung Auxilium, and Ralph Lauren Foundation — whose continued belief in our work strengthens our resolve,” Casserly said.

Students who spoke to the Observer expressed their gratitude for receiving scholarships from Hanover Charities, highlighting the significant impact on their academic journeys. Mickeal Stanford, pursuing a bachelor’s in apparel design and production management at the University of Technology, said the scholarship is helping for a second time.

“This scholarship means a lot to me it has given me an opportunity to further my studies and it is a great help in easing the financial burden,” she said.

Dane Egla, a third-year student at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona majoring in marine biology with a minor in public policy and management, said the scholarship was a crucial door-opener that enabled him to start and continue his university journey.

“It means the world to me because this is one of the scholarships that has kick-started my journey into tertiary education, because I didn’t have it [money]. So getting that boost to start university, it was the door-opener to me and that is how I started in my first semester and that is how I am continuing university, so it’s a big deal for me,” Egla said.

Shanique Bailey, a third-year environmental health student at UWI, said she’s grateful to be recognised by a local organisation that values students’ success.

“It’s a great burden lifter because it helps to alleviate some of the funds that I have to spend and it’s a joy knowing that I am favoured by an organisation in my parish that wants to help students achieve their goals. So I am appreciative of it,” Bailey said.

Scholarship beneficiaries are encouraged to study a wide range of subjects including medicine, law, social work, engineering and agriculture, with their focus to eventually return to support their home parish and country.

After serving the organisation for about three decades, Casserly gave her commitment to continue the journey.

“I have been doing this almost 30 years and as long as we can make the fund-raising happen I am not going to change. This is a passion!” Casserly remarked.

“Education is the bridge to opportunity, and we are deeply proud that this programme has become one of the most impactful in the nation — forming a true community,” she added.

Other projects supported by the charity include the funding of soup kitchens; Container of Love, an initiative providing Westhaven Children’s Home and Lucea Infirmary with much-needed mattresses, clothing, and sanitary supplies; classroom furniture for the upgraded Dalmally Basic School; and more.