– Republic Bank’s Community Education Initiatives

With a longstanding record of support for education and development initiatives for the young people of Guyana, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited is of the firm belief that education plays a major role and positively impacts a nation’s prospects and accomplishments.

And with an overarching focus on building successful societies, Republic Bank continues to distinguish itself as being a good corporate citizen, giving back to the nation of Guyana – billions, through ongoing investment in education and developmental initiatives for our young people in diverse ways.
As Guyana wraps up Education Month (September 1- October 5), the Guyana Chronicle features Republic Bank’s community education initiatives over the last decade.
Not only does the Bank focus on its Power to Make a Difference Social Investment initiative, but it is also committed to strategies for educating, developing, empowering and rewarding its customers and the local communities it serves.

Power to Make a Difference (PMAD)
This initiative commenced in Guyana in 2003 and focuses on making a difference particularly among Guyana’s youth, and in communities through various projects undertaken in partnership with government ministries, charitable and educational institutions. In the previous two phases, over $200 million was expended on a range of projects.
For the current phase – a four year period from 2014-2018 – Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited has committed over $150 million.

The following are the Bank’s PMAD education initiatives:

Republic Bank University of Guyana Scholarship: Awarded to one student pursuing a degree in studies relevant to national development such as Forestry, Agriculture, Earth & Environment Science, Technology and Natural Sciences is offered every four years. The current Awardee is Mr. Kareem Hinds of New Amsterdam, Berbice and he is due to graduate in 2018. Previous Awardees include Mr. Jhaman Kundun and Mr. Dharamdeo Singh and they have gone on to pursue their Masters in Australia and Trinidad and Tobago respectively.

Republic Bank Career Coach: This is a two day workshop for final year Degree and Diploma students of the University of Guyana. The aim of the programme is to equip participants with the necessary tools for succeeding in today’s work environment and is hosted in partnership with the University of Guyana. Under the themes Marketing Yourself and Understanding the Working World, participants benefit from related workshops, interactions, and simulated interviews for practical insight and application of the ideas learnt.

Republic Bank RightStart Music Literacy Programme: This collaboration with the Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture Youth and Sport, commenced in 2010 and provides training – both theory and practical – to new and experienced school-aged steel pan players, in introductory and advance modules. At every level the participants are taught practical skills, steel pan history and music theory. There is also a special programme dedicated to youths with an aptitude for Steel Band Arranging. To date over 900 (nine hundred) students have attended this annual programme.The recently concluded 2016 programme graduated 128 (one hundred and twenty eight) youths from the regions.

Republic Bank Youth Link Apprenticeship Programme: This seven (7) month programme was launched in Guyana in 2009 and is open to Secondary School graduates between the ages of 16-19 years from the business studies stream. The objective of the programme is to bridge the transition from classroom to the world of work – from student to working adult. In addition, it equips participants with basic training and marketable skills in business related disciplines, in order to improve their career options. To date, 213 (two hundred and thirteen) Apprentices have graduated from the Youth Link Apprenticeship Programme and have gone on to enrich several Organisations across Guyana, including Republic Bank itself.

Teen Mothers Empowerment Programme: This initiative, in partnership with Women Across Differences, offers support and empowerment to school-aged girls facing the challenges of teen pregnancy. Through the Bank’s sponsorship, teen mothers and pregnant adolescents from Region 4 and Georgetown are afforded the opportunity to improve their livelihoods via comprehensive education programme that encompasses reproductive health, personal development and entrepreneurial development.

Iwokrama – Climate change mitigation and conservation in schools: Through its partnership with Iwokrama, Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd is able to support the environmental literacy programme in schools with the initial outreach in 2015 benefitting the community of Fairview Village in Region 9.

Step by Step Foundation: Autistic Children receive Republic Bank’s sponsorship of the annual tuition for two students and the annual salary for two tutors. The Bank’s annual sponsorship also covers the cost of services of a US medical practitioner specialized in autism, and who visits thrice annually to assess the children’s progress and monitor tutors’ performance. The Foundation also conducts assessments on potentially autistic children during the medical practitioner’s visit. The Bank also focusses its efforts on allowing individuals the opportunity to showcase their learning and skills through the following activities:

Republic Bank Mashramani Panorama Steel Band Competition: This is an annual competition which started in 2009. During February, individuals, small and large bands compete in various categories. The school band segment has expanded to nine competing bands from three initially as a direct result of the training provided students at the Republic Bank RightStart Music Literacy Programme.
The Biennial Republic Bank National Drawing Competition: In collaboration with the National Art Gallery, Republic Bank has had a long standing record of support for the Arts and has been supporting Guyanese artists by sponsoring the Castellani House biennial National Drawing Competition in various media such as pen and ink, pencil and charcoal with the 10th competition having concluded in December 2015.

Promoting Literacy in our communities: Through the Bank’s Staff Volunteerism programme, members of staff lend voluntary assistance to projects across the Bank’s footprint. Literacy has been a high priority for a number of the projects executed so far and both communities and schools have benefited from the rehabilitation of libraries; provision of books and school supplies; and support for reading programmes.

Rewarding Academic Excellence: Supporting education also extends to rewarding excellence in education. To this end, the Bank rewards Guyana’s top performers at the annual National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA); the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC); the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE); and from the University of Guyana, the best student graduating with a degree from the Faculty of Social Sciences, and the best student for the Diploma in Banking And Finance.

OTHER
Other forms of the Bank’s Education Focus target the general public, including some of the Bank’s own customers who hold the Republic Right Start Account and existing and aspiring entrepreneurs. In this the Bank provides opportunities, rewards excellence and seeks to empower all participants and award recipients.

Republic Bank RightStart Academic Achievement Award
Each year, the bank’s top RightStart account holders at the NGSA and CSEC receive monetary awards and plaques for outstanding academic performance. These are distinct product-related awards to the Bank’s high performing customers and are different from the PMAD academic awards to the nation’s top performers as outlined above.

Regular donations to Schools and Educational institutions
Across its networks Republic Bank gives extensive donations to schools and educational institutions across the Bank’s network for various initiatives. RHY&TC’s Annual Summer Camp; Computers; texts; furnishings; school supplies; graduation gifts and trophies; cash for various needs are among our donations. Significant sums are dedicated to these activities annually.

Republic Bank Commercial Customer Business Programme
Since 2010, Republic Bank has collaborated with the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business – University of the West Indies has been offering this specially designed Programme for the bank’s high-potential entrepreneurs/clients with defined venture borrowings or capital positions.
The objective of the programme is to strengthen Commercial Customers’ business skills for better planning, organizing, and operation of their small to medium sized businesses in various sectors within the economy (which can include manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing or service trade).
On completion of the programme, Commercial Customers leave with an enhanced ability to assess and understand the business environment, and understand how to effectively drive business strategy and implementation, manage finances and marketing.
So far, 95 of RBL’s business customers have benefitted from sessions. Approximately G$3.3 million annually is invested in this initiative.
Empretec Venture Out! for Women – Republic Bank has been the major sponsor of this and sees an annual outlay of approximately G$1.5 million. programme since 2010. As the name suggests women are the beneficiaries.
The aim of the programme is to provide a motivational forum for aspiring and practicing women entrepreneurs that will allow for passions and interests to be developed into sustainable business ventures.
The primary objective is to enhance the quality of life through increased knowledge and skills and through a mentorship programme by successful peers.
As a consequence, confidence is built, participants enjoy greater entrepreneurial awareness and are empowered to ‘stand on their feet’ and provide for their families thereby uplifting their status.
Over the years approximately 640 women across Guyana have participated and benefitted various groups of women across Guyana with notable outcomes and success stories.
In all of its efforts Republic Bank’s overarching focus is building successful societies. We are of the firm belief that education plays a major role and positively impacts a nation’s prospects and accomplishments.