It was an exhilarating and rewarding experience to engage with 39 students from the community of August Town, St Andrew who recently concluded their sports summer camp. The camp targeted students aged 11-17 and featured an exciting chess component with a competition and awards ceremony at its pinnacle. Since its commencement in 2024, the JSIF Chess in School Programme, has engaged just over 110 students from the community of August Town in activities including summer camps and clinics, schools sensitization sessions and registration of students with FIDE – The International Chess Federation.

Chess has the power to transform lives and offers numerous benefits to students on and off the chess board including the building of a range of skills including critical thinking, decision making,  problem solving, sportsmanship, and focus. It can also be integrated into the curriculum to boost academic performance in Math and other subjects.

The Chess in School Programme is funded under the Government of Jamaica, Integrated Community Development Project 11. Kudos to Mr. Gregory Prince, Social Officer, JSIF and City Knights Chess Club for their ongoing support to the Programme.

Scores of households across the parishes of St. Elizabeth and Manchester have been wired for connection to the national grid under the Government’s Community  Electrification Project. 

Being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) in partnership with Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), the project aims to regularize electricity access for communities, prioritizing vulnerable populations.  

It involves free house wiring and connection to the JPS grid for eligible households, ensuring safe and legal access to electricity.  

Caribbean Development Bank's BNTF 10, Implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund Delivers Birth Certificates to Residents of Pisgah, St. Elizabeth.
Caribbean Development Bank

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has underscored the importance of environmental stewardship as communities undergo development.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Myton Gully Drainage Improvement Project in Old Harbour, St. Catherine, on Tuesday (June 10), Dr. Holness maintained that as communities continue to develop, the environment must be protected for present and future generations.

Hundreds of small farmers, including women and youth, are slated to benefit from millions of dollars in essential supplies and equipment to strengthen the resilience of their agricultural enterprises.

The support is being provided under two initiatives being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) under its Second Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI II).