Daren Ganga Foundation supports education

The first recipients of the Daren Ganga Foundation/RBTT Scholarship Programme were announced on December 9 at Petrotin Sports Club, Pointe-a-Pierre.<!--break--> Fifteen students, aged nine to 12 years, will benefit from the programme, which offers specialised training and academic support over three years.  Beginning January 2011, the students, will be paired with appropriate mentors and coaches for instruction in their studies and specific area of ability. The children demonstrate talent in one of the following areas: cricket; football; table tennis; singing/music; dance; track & field or volleyball.  Last April, RBTT announced its partnership with the Daren Ganga Foundation (DGF) to help children in rural communities achieve their full potential by accessing opportunities that aid their development in sports and the arts while supporting their progress at school. RBTT has committed TT$1.3 million to the foundation over three years.

Daren Ganga, Executive Chairman of the DGF, said: “Our aim is to provide children from underprivileged families with opportunities to excel, starting in Barrackpore, the community where I grew up.  “We want to encourage the pursuit of non-academic streams of development where demonstrated talent exists, while ensuring the children have the support needed to obtain a sound education.”  At the announcement dinner, President & Country Head, RBTT Bank, Arvinder Bharath, said: “RBTT recognises that an investment in our children today results in a bright future tomorrow. We are pleased to partner with the Daren Ganga Foundation on this venture which supports the holistic development of the child. “I encourage the talented, deserving participants of this programme to take full advantage of this opportunity…be diligent and steadfast especially when things seem more challenging than you’d expect. Hard work, sacrifice and determination are the ingredients that turn dreams into reality.”

The scholarship programme is the second initiative by the foundation since the inaugural DGF Vacation Camp in 2009. The vacation camp offers sports coaching and workshops during the July/August school holidays. This year, RBTT representatives visited the camp to talk to the young participants about the importance of saving.