THE final Christmas/New Year hamper presentation to the citizens of Canaries, Belvedere and Bouton has marked the end of a busy 2015 schedule of Boka Group’s year round Social Corporate Responsibility Programme, part of the Company’s commitment to driving social change by promoting sustainable local communities.
The owners of Belvedere Plantation and the Mahaut Estate at Belvedere have an ongoing programme with their local community, culminating each year in the distribution of 130 Christmas and New Year hampers.
This year has seen the continuation of the Food4Thought initiative, whereby the Company pays the parents contribution for school meals for all local schools. Not only has the initiative been taken up by other commercial organisations in Saint Lucia, but the introduction of the programme saw school attendance rise from around 70%, to over 90%.
Boka Group CEO and Founder, John Kennedy, said: “Our aim is simple. We want to inspire the next generation and provide young persons with access to opportunities to fulfil their aspirations and potential. In this way they can succeed and they will take their community with them as they grow.
“In the first year of our Food4Thought Programme, Canaries Primary School, following five conservative years of being the worst in the education district, has now moved to second place in the district achieving an overall average performance grade of 68.5%, with all of their students assigned a secondary school place”.
BokaGroup wished the citizens of Canaries, Belvedere and Bouton a very happy Christmas and New Year, emphasising that their SCP agenda was a year round initiative, working towards a better future, not just in 2016, but in the years and decades ahead.