Photo: Karen Hilliard (left), Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Earl Jarrett (right), Chairman of the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) Foundation signing a memorandum of understanding in 2011.
In 2011, the Jamaica National Building Society (JN) Foundation, the charitable arm of the Jamaica National Building Society, entered into an agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at boosting social enterprise in Jamaica.
This week, the JN Foundation announced that through funding by the USAID, it has launched the Social Enterprise Boost Initiative (SEBI).
“Jamaica, like many small developing states, has many social challenges which cannot be addressed solely by the Government. This has resulted in numerous non-governmental organizations and civic groups attempting to advocate for social causes such as health, education and culture, in their efforts to improve the lives of the Jamaican people,” the organization stated.
“The challenging global economic situation among other circumstances has resulted in dwindling support for such efforts, which have traditionally relied on donations and grant funding to survive. These entities must therefore move from non-sustainable activities to building profitable business enterprises in order to support their social missions.”
In this three-year capacity building pilot program, social enterprises will enjoy training workshops and seminars, partnership development, and mentorship among other things. The goal of the SEBI is to support the growth and development of social enterprises across Jamaica.
Photo from JN Foundation.