May 31, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SYGNUS PARTNERS WITH AMPLIFY STUDIOS FOR KINGSTON-LEG OF ITS READING N’
REASONING INITIATIVE, REACHING OVER 50 STUDENTS DURING CHILD MONTH
(Kingston, Jamaica) As part of its ongoing commitment to education and in celebration of Child Month, Sygnus Credit Investments, a fund under the Sygnus Group, supported the Kingston leg of Amplify Studios’ Reading N’ Reasoning initiative. The Sygnus team demonstrated unwavering support for this noble cause, engaging with over 50 students at the Devon House Most Hon. Edward Seaga Suite to inspire a love for reading and foster critical thinking skills.
The initiative included students from the Holy Family Primary School, St. Martin De Porres Primary School, Jessie Ripoll Primary School, St. George’s Girls Primary School and Hope Valley Experimental School. Members of the Sygnus team showed out in their numbers to interact and engage with the students. Damani Reid, Manager, Investment Management at Sygnus, read Jamaica Tag-Along by Juanita Havil with the students. Reflecting on his experience Reid shared, “My experience at the Reading N’ Reasoning initiative was incredibly enriching and eye-opening. It is my second time being part of this initiative, so it was amazing to witness firsthand the programme’s reach since my participation last year, and I was particularly inspired by the children’s eagerness and enthusiasm to learn and absorb what the programme had to offer. The kids also asked some very insightful questions and I am hopeful that our efforts sparked a deeper interest in reading and critical thinking. Initiatives of this nature are essential for nation building, and through this we are able to support our future leaders and young bright minds to foster a love for life long learning. We are thrilled to have the opportunity and privilege to carry out our mission at the early childhood level, where growth and development are at its most important stage.”
Other members of the team in attendance included Anadeen Nembhard, Head of People, Culture and Talent Management, Renee Rickards, Senior Marketing Manager, Andre Waite, Investment Management Analyst, Tanajh Howard Cunningham, Marketing Associate, Abigail Monroe, People, Culture and Talent Management Associate, Ryan Landey, AVP, Investment Management and Stephen Wright, AVP, Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions.
Launched in November 2022 and spearheaded by Joel Nomdarkham, Chief Impact Creator at Amplify Studios, the Reading N’ Reasoning Initiative aims to lay a foundation for a brighter future for the community and the nation. While the programme typically focuses on the education and development of boys, for Child Month, Nomdarkham took an inclusive approach ensuring both boys and girls were involved and would benefit from the different activities that we had lined up.
“For Child Month we wanted to spotlight both boys and girls. There was an overwhelming amount of positive feedback and feel-good sentiments from the students. Many of the students who participated shared how happy they were to meet new friends, how they enjoyed the day, and how they learnt something interesting about the stories that were told,” expressed Nomdarkham.
Continuing Nomdarkham thanked Sygnus for their partnership. “Sygnus came on board as my partner for the second year and it was truly a timely and successful partnership. I think education itself is one of the tenets for Sygnus. And what I love about Sygnus is that the entire team came out and supported. It added a lot of partner value to the room and the children were excited about that as well. For our Kingston session, Sygnus’ support enabled us to have some more treats for the students including lemonade and cookies. The financial support from Sygnus also ensured the students were able to do the mansion tour and be treated to ice cream which made the experience even more exciting and meaningful.”
The Reading N’ Reasoning initiative, which has reached a total of 250 students and donated 1200 books through its partners for Child Month, continues to foster a culture of literacy and critical thinking among young students, equipping them with the tools they need for academic success and personal growth.
Ryan Landey, AVP, Investment Management at Sygnus, emphasised the importance of these initiatives, stating, “Partnering with Amplify Studios for a second year for its Reading N’ Reasoning initiative underscores our commitment to education and community development. These initiatives are crucial for nurturing young minds and equipping them with the tools for future success. At Sygnus, we believe in investing in the next generation, and we are proud to support programmes that foster literacy and critical thinking skills.”
###
About Sygnus
Sygnus is a leading alternative investment management company in the Caribbean and Latin America, spanning private credit, real estate, private equity and impact investing. Sygnus manages Sygnus Credit Investments Limited (SCI) which is listed on the JSE and the largest Private Credit Investment company in the English-Speaking Caribbean. SCI is a pioneering private credit investment company, which offers creative debt financing to middle market businesses across the Caribbean. Sygnus Real Estate Finance Limited (SRF) provides flexible capital (Debt or Equity) to all classes of real estate assets (commercial, industrial, or residential). Sygnus Deneb Investments Limited (SDI) invests private equity capital in companies in the form of growth capital, buyouts, and turnarounds. The Sygnus Group also includes Sygnus Capital PR LLC (formerly Acrecent Financial Corporation) in Puerto Rico, a non-bank financial institution that provides asset-backed loans and leases to SMEs in Puerto Rico. Sygnus also offers its clients Investment Banking and Wealth Advisory.
