UTech, Jamaica 2015-16 Annual Report

Page 93 University of Technology, Jamaica ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 Special Projects and Programmes:  The division continued to implement a number of special projects and programmes. • Fi Wi Jamaica Project: On May 21, 2015, the USAID Cooperative Agreement was signed providing the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) grant funding to execute a project entitled “Fi Wi Jamaica.” The Project is a 3-year national social intervention project to expand the protection and promotion of human rights of targeted socially excluded and vulnerable members of the Jamaican population. The initiative, formally launched on August 19, 2015, builds upon the UTech Cares Project, a campus-wide human rights programme executed in 2013/14 with funding support from USAID Jamaica and the Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica. Fi Wi Jamaica seeks to scale up the activities into a national programme. The overarching goal of the Fi Wi Jamaica project is to empower members of socially excluded and vulnerable groups through social, cultural and economic interventions that strengthen public demand for their respect, dignity, and freedom from discrimination and violence. Stakeholders, including government and private sector partners, and civil society are furnished with the tools to engage in a dialogue to build public demand for change towards a more respectful and just society. This project provides financial and technical support to several community service and development initiatives undertaken by the Division. Several milestones were achieved during the reporting period. A Project Steering Committee was established and key project personnel were recruited. Activities included: I. a Gleaner Editor’s Forum, a media briefing designed to improve understanding of the Fi Wi Jamaica project and its alignment to national development goals and priorities II. a Students’ debate and open forum on strengthening public demand for respect and tolerance towards vulnerable persons in society III. collaboration with the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) in providing Care Packs and personal development support to homeless persons, IV. entrepreneurial empowerment training targeting vulnerable women and girls V. support to the Empowerment Sessions of the Saturday University. Notable among these were the Trafficking in Person (TIP) and the (DIPV) Awareness and Entrepreneurship training in St. Elizabeth..  2015 US China Investment Forum: In furtherance of the MOU with UTech and SIAS International University, the 2015 Investment Forum in China was held from May 25 to June 1, 2015. UTech, Ja, through the Scotiabank Chair in Entrepreneurship and Development led a team of entrepreneurs and other stakeholders, comprising twelve (12) persons to China. Scotiabank, through the UTech/Scotiabank Chair in Entrepreneurship sponsored local expenses for two UTech students and a third participant. The Forum allowed participants to connect with top Chinese and US venture capital firms, and to participate in a competition. Participants were also able to meet global leaders in the startup ecosystem, including: top corporations, venture capital firms, international accelerators, as well as major Chinese corporations. The Forum fostered greater understanding of the Chinese business environments, highlighted opportunities for the University in particular and by extension, the country, for closer cooperation and exchanges in business, economy and trade.  Diaspora Day of Service (DDOS) The VP Community Service & Development Chaired a Diaspora Day of Service (DOS) Subcommittee. The DOS is the final day in the six-day 2015 Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, (June 13-18, 2015), and was conceived to facilitate the Diaspora‘s interest in undertaking philanthropic activities in various communities while in the country for the Conference. The initiative successfully coordinated nine (9) organisations implementing sixteen (16) registered projects that had an impact on six (6) parishes: St James – 5 projects; St. Catherine - 4 projects;