Twenty-five tertiary level students were awarded with scholarships by Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, totalling J$2 million, on November 13.

The students were awarded at the charity organisation's chapel located at Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, St Catherine.

According to David Mair, executive director of FFP Jamaica, his organisation decided to assist needy tertiary level students with grade point averages (GPA) of 3.0 at this time of the academic year, because some students, although in week 11 of the semester, have not fully paid their tuition fees.

"Just three months ago, 290 students from the fourteen parishes in the island were awarded with bursaries valued at approximately $5.3 million from Food For The Poor Jamaica. Today, thanks to the generosity of our donors, Food For The Poor has significantly lessened the financial burden of 25 tertiary students by offering these additional grants," Mr Mair said during his address to the scholarship recipients at the handover.

"This is our investment in grooming our children for future success in academia and life skills," he further stated.

For the past 15 years, FFP has assisted students from all levels of Jamaica's education system with financial grants.

Mair said that although FFP has an image of being passionate about assisting needy Jamaicans with regard to food, housing, fishing agriculture, health-care services and prison ministry, the charity organisation also has a passion for helping the youth of the nation in achieving various levels of education.

"In addition to the tertiary level scholarships, 43 students from the basic, primary and high school levels have received financial assistance to the tune of over J$300,000," he said.

In closing, Mair said all FFP Jamaica desires in return from the scholars, is to "maintain a minimum B average or a GPA of 3.0 at all times and to remember that someone helped you, so it is your duty to help others."