Against a growing regional push to integrate digital learning and financial capability building for young people, RF Merchant Bank & Trust (Barbados) Limited has expanded its sponsorship of a groundbreaking AI-driven stock market simulation initiative, bringing hands-on investing education to more than 300 new students at Barbados’ Harrison College. This expansion pushes the total number of program beneficiaries under RF’s sponsorship to nearly 800 across three leading Barbadian secondary schools: Harrison College, The Lodge School, and Combermere School.
The initiative, branded the Sustainable Stock Market Artificial Intelligence Game, is a collaborative effort between RF Merchant Bank, regional Caribbean tech firm WizdomCRM, and Barbados’ Ministry of Education Transformation, designed to close gaps in youth financial literacy across the island. To mark the launch of this latest expansion phase, the partner organizations held an interactive financial literacy school tour last Friday. Lamar Goring, senior brokerage manager at RF, joined representatives from WizdomCRM and the education ministry to lead engagement sessions with participating students, answering questions and connecting classroom learning to real-world financial contexts.
Goring emphasized that for the bank, this program is far more than a corporate social responsibility activity—it is a long-term investment in Barbados’ next generation. “We are pleased to be supporting young Barbadians on their educational and financial journeys,” he noted. Echoing this alignment with WizdomCRM’s core mission, Goring added that RF remains committed to backing community-focused, transformative programs that empower local young people: “We share WizdomCRM’s commitment to empowering Caribbean students through tools that celebrate their unique standpoints, and we will continue to stand behind transformative initiatives like the stock market game, which uplift the communities we serve.”
Unlike traditional textbook financial education, the AI-powered game gives students the chance to build and manage fully virtual investment portfolios tied to real local, regional, and international stock market performance. This hands-on simulation introduces core finance concepts including sustainable investing, market trend analysis, and long-term financial planning through adaptive AI learning tools that meet students at their skill level.
Across the entire Caribbean region, the program has already reached more than 16,500 students, as education leaders and private sector partners increasingly prioritize innovative, tech-integrated approaches to closing financial literacy gaps. For WizdomCRM, the expanded partnership with RF highlights the impact of cross-sector collaboration on preparing young people for an evolving global economy. “This partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when financial institutions, education systems, and technology platforms work together with intentionality,” the company stated. “Through artificial intelligence, financial literacy, and real-world market concepts, we are not only strengthening student engagement but helping to shape a generation that is more confident, analytical, and prepared for the future of work, economic participation, and long-term national development.”
RF’s partnership with WizdomCRM first launched in October 2023, during global World Investor Month, with an initial sponsorship covering participating students at The Lodge School and Combermere across consecutive program cycles. The addition of Harrison College extends the initiative’s reach to one of Barbados’ most prominent secondary institutions, at a time when both financial literacy and digital education are rising on regional policy and development agendas. The launch tour also aligned with the conclusion of global Financial Literacy Month, observed each April, and forms a core component of RF’s broader organizational strategy focused on youth empowerment and measurable community impact.