NCB scholarship makes fire victim’s funding for studies crystal clear
Published:Monday | September 4, 2023 | 12:09 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
When Crystal Bent underwent an interview for a scholarship with the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation some days ago, she left the judges speechless because of the three words she honestly uttered: “I lost everything.”
The 20-year-old young lady from New Forest, Manchester, said she and her mother lost all their belongings in a fire which engulfed their house in 2017.
“I lost everything. I didn’t have anything apart from my life and the clothes that I got out of bed in,” Bent told The Gleaner on Thursday.
“For a period of time in high school, I was homeless, and the Hampton School actually helped out the situation by placing me into boarding so I was boarding for a period of time, but when I had to go home on the weekends, I didn’t have a place to go home to. I had to stay with a family member or friend of my mother,” she said.
She also explained that it has been a rough patch for her mother, who is now a bar operator and farmer, but still does not have another house for herself.
“It has been financially difficult for her, but she never lost hope,” Bent told The Gleaner.
Amid it all, Bent was able to score distinctions after sitting Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) in the subjects biology and computer science, and also received grades two in physics and Caribbean studies, and a three in communication studies.
What impressed the NCB Foundation judges even more, was the fact that Bent applied and was accepted to pursued a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona starting this academic year.
For the next three years, the NCB Foundation will fund her studies with $300,000 annually.
When asked why that programme, the graduate from Hampton School said, “I feel like, for software engineering, you have a lot to learn. Software engineering can transform ideas into reality and I feel like doing innovation at best.”
Now that the NCB Foundation has offered to pay for her course of tertiary level studies, Bent is rejoicing.
“I feel really excited and happy. I also feel blessed because I didn’t know where that would come from to pay off my tuition,” she told The Gleaner.
15th anniversary
Nadeen Matthews Blair, chief executive officer, NCB Foundation, said this year the initiative is proudly celebrating its 15th anniversary.
“Over those 15 years, we’ve invested more than $1 billion in our country’s most valuable asset, our youth. This evening, we’re here to commemorate this achievement, and celebrate the young Jamaicans who will share in our $100-million investment this year,” Matthews Blair said.
“Since inception, education has been at the core of the NCB Foundation’s focus, inspired by NCB Financial Group Chairman the Hon Michael Lee-Chin. As a scholarship recipient himself, he had a personal vision of every Jamaican having access to tertiary education. As you know, Chairman the Hon. Michael Lee-Chin is a billionaire and has been a significant contributor to Jamaica and Canada. It is important to do well and do good, a personal mantra of the chairman,” she said.
Matthews Blair also said that, through these scholarships, young people can improve not only their quality of life, but make a difference in their families, communities, for our nation and the world.
For this year, NCB Foundation’s annual scholarships and grants programme marks its 15th anniversary. With over J$1 billion invested in education since its inception, NCB Foundation continues to invest in Jamaicans after a decade and half.
Since 2020, NCB Foundation pivoted support to digital areas of study, with the goal of supporting the development of digital producers who are equipped with the skills and education needed to thrive in the burgeoning digital economy.