Ten children of Jamaicans now working on farms in Ontario, Canada, will be able to benefit from scholarships valued at $115,000 this year through a new programme launched on Thursday.

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (OFVGA), in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), are offering the scholarships aimed at cultivating the academic dreams of Jamaican secondary school students whose parents participate in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Programme (SAWP).

According to the OFVGA, the scholarships will provide each successful applicant with assistance for school and educational expenses including books, uniforms, exam fees, transportation, and lunch costs.

“This scholarship is something we are extremely proud of. Supporting our participants’ children and continuing their education is a meaningful way for us to give back while also recognising the sacrifices that these families and workers have to make year after year. It’s a small way for us to support what comes next and we truly hope that it makes a difference for the recipient and their family,” said Benjamin Murray, communication adviser at OFVGA.

Speaking at the scholarship launch event held at the MLSS headquarters in Kingston on Thursday, Murray pointed out that Canadian agricultural entities have been partners with Jamaica for 60 years as he described the scholarship programme as a show of gratitude and a commitment of continued collaboration and support.

“The programme works because of the people in it and the Jamaican workers have been a massive part of that success for 60 years now. Sixty years is an absolutely remarkable achievement, and we look forward to celebrating and honouring it over the course of this year. The workers’ hard work and commitment mean a great deal to our farms and our communities back home,” added Murray.

Explaining the terms and conditions of the scholarship, director of employment services at MLSS Andrea Miller-Stennett pointed out that applicants must be children of Jamaican seasonal farm workers from the Canadian province of Ontario, who are enrolled in a local secondary school.

Miller-Stennett added that the seasonal agricultural worker must have been working under the SAWP programme for a minimum of three years of continued service and had never gone absent without official leave (AWOL).

Furthermore, the student must have at least a ‘B’ average on their most recent academic report and must not have previously benefited from the JN Money Fields of Opportunity Scholarships which is specifically designed to support the children of Jamaican farm workers participating in the SAWP in Canada.

“In terms of the required supporting documents, the applicant must submit a completed scholarship application form along with copies of: proof of participation from their employer in the province of Ontario; a birth certificate or other relevant documentation showing guardianship; and, of course, a report card.

“An application will be disqualified if it is not completed, and all persons who are applying, in order to benefit, must meet all the eligibility requirements. The application forms can be picked up at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Family Services Unit, right here at North Street (Kingston), or at the Ministry of Labour Processing Centre at East Street (Kingston), or they can be picked up in Canada at the Jamaican Liaison Service (JLS) offices,” explained Miller-Stennett.

For his part, portfolio minister Pearnel Charles Jr expressed gratitude to the OFVGA for highlighting the sacrifices that farm workers make to support their children’s aspirations as he pointed out that this initiative will lessen the burden of educational expenses on families.

“I must tell you, I’m very pleased and honoured to serve as minister and to serve as partner with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association… It’s another consistent and deliberate strategic approach that our considerations, our conversations, have not just led to this scholarship but also to several changes that have benefited the welfare of both farmers and farm workers. So we are telling all who are watching and listening that together, Jamaica and Canada, we intend to keep our workers at the centre of our deliberations,” said Charles Jr.

The scholarship application period will open April 1 and close June 30, 2026. Those who are interested in applying and have further questions are advised to contact the MLSS Family Services Unit at (876) 676-5557 or the JLS in Canada at 1(416)733-4352-9.