ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda – October 16, 2026 — Two third-form students from Antigua and Barbuda are marking another milestone in their secondary education journeys, as they collect the third round of funding from the Sandals Foundation’s flagship Care for Kids Scholarship Programme. Kyrah Edwards, a student at Princess Margaret Secondary School, and Erwin Christopher of Antigua Grammar School, have continued to meet the programme’s strict academic requirements to retain their annual $500 USD scholarship award, which renews each school year for high-performing students.
Beyond the direct cash injection that eases education-related financial strain, the scholarship has transformed the students’ day-to-day school experiences, opening doors that extend far beyond textbooks and tuition.
For Christopher, the funding has eliminated the constant financial anxiety that once distracted him from his studies. “Receiving this scholarship has helped me in countless ways,” he explained. “It takes away the stress of having to worry about how I am going to pay for school supplies, books and other things I need for school. Knowing that I have this support helps to clear my mind and gives me a more stress-free environment to focus on my studies and do my best academically.”
For Edwards, the support addressed a critical, unmet need that was directly hindering her ability to learn: access to prescription eyewear. “The scholarship has helped me a lot with my studies. One of the ways it supported me was by helping me get prescription glasses, which have made it much easier for me to see my schoolwork clearly,” she shared. “It has also helped me feel more prepared and confident when I go to school. I am very grateful for the support because it has made a positive difference in my education.”
Unlike many traditional scholarship programmes that only offer financial support, the Care for Kids initiative prioritizes holistic youth development, requiring recipients to participate in the foundation’s annual Back-to-School community outreach. Both Edwards and Christopher have joined Sandals Foundation volunteers to distribute school supplies and essential learning materials to children and low-income families across Antigua and Barbuda, gaining firsthand experience in giving back to their community.
This hands-on service component is intentionally designed to teach scholarship recipients that access to opportunity comes with the responsibility to lift up others. To build community among participating students, the foundation also hosts an annual all-expenses-paid social activity for scholars. This year, Edwards, Christopher and other recipients enjoyed a guided tour of Stingray City, followed by a group lunch at local eatery Beach Limerz.
Leon Norville, Public Relations Manager at Sandals Grande Antigua and the local Sandals Foundation representative, accompanies students through every step of the programme, conducting regular check-ins, identifying unmet needs, and connecting students with additional support to keep them on track academically and personally. “For us, Care for Kids is about developing the whole young person,” Norville explained. “Yes, the scholarship provides financial assistance and rewards academic commitment, but we also want Kyrah and Erwin to understand the importance of service, compassion and giving back. That is why their involvement in community outreach is so important. They are not simply receiving support from the Sandals Foundation; they are becoming part of the work that we do to support others. Seeing them participate in our Back-to-School initiative, interacting with children and families and helping to give back is exactly the kind of experience we want them to carry with them throughout their lives.”
The two Antiguan scholars are part of a decadelong regional initiative that has uplifted hundreds of young people across the Caribbean. Since its launch in 2009, the Care for Kids Scholarship Programme has awarded funding to 243 secondary students across the region. The five-year programme provides annual grants for students entering secondary school, covering a range of core education-related expenses including tuition, textbooks, school uniforms, and even unexpected medical costs that could derail a student’s progress. The foundation’s investment in Caribbean youth does not end at secondary graduation: it also offers tertiary scholarships for students pursuing higher education in high-need regional fields, from education and mathematics to marine conservation, medicine and veterinary medicine.
The Sandals Foundation is the official philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, launched in March 2009 to expand the resort group’s 40-plus years of community investment across the Caribbean. It holds registered charity status in multiple jurisdictions: it is registered with Jamaica’s Department of Co-operatives and Friendly Societies, a CRA-registered charity in Canada, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States, and a registered charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The foundation focuses its work on three core mission areas: education, community development, and environmental conservation, and 100% of all public donations go directly to programming that benefits Caribbean communities.