The Mutual Building Societies Foundation (MBSF)
Victoria Mutual continues to maintain its sponsorship of a number of activities that not only generate national appeal and pride, but continue to have a significant impact on youth and community development, the promotion of character building, family life and, by extension, social stability in our nation. The Mutual Building Societies Foundation is one of Jamaica’s Major Scholarship Foundations that you as a student can apply to even if you are not a VMBS account holder.
In February 2008, The Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) and Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) joined forces to create the Mutual Building Societies Foundation (MBSF), with the aim of supporting the Government’s Transformation of Education Initiative by establishing the Centres of Excellence Programme.
The then Minister of Education, the Hon. Andrew Holness, officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2010, to endorse and implement the Centres of Excellence programme in an attempt to achieve the Ministry’s Vision 2030 National Development Plan for the education sector. Representatives from Victoria Mutual were present to witness this important achievement of the MBSF.
The Centres of Excellence Programme currently works to assist in developing the management system and improving the teaching methodology of six rural schools, namely Mile Gully High, McGrath High, Porus High, Seaforth High, Godfrey Stewart High and Green Pond High Schools.
The Centres of Excellence Programme will focus on improving student performance, teaching and learning and school leadership and management. The schools have so far received donations of science lab equipment, books and school supplies, school furniture, computer equipment and assistance with their Nutrition and Sports Programmes.
To learn more about the Mutual Building Societies Foundation and the Centres of Excellence scholarship Programme, click here.
The Governor-General’s Achievement Awards Programme
The Governor-General Achievement Awards (GGAA) Programme was initiated in 1991 by former Governor-General, the Most Honorable Sir Howard Cooke. This Programme identifies one person from each parish from modest economic and social circumstances who share a common desire to better themselves and to assist others around them by becoming actively involved in community service.
In 2006, former Governor-General the Most Honourable Professor Sir Kenneth Hall added the Youth Award for Excellence to the GGAA Programme to recognize socially and academically successful young persons who make valuable contributions to the areas in which they live.
Victoria Mutual has sponsored this initiative for a number of years as the Society recognizes the need to acknowledge and encourage those who make the sacrifices necessary to develop our communities knowing this will ultimately lead to a better Jamaica.
