The Tribune

FEBRUARY is Junior Achievement (JA) month in The Bahamas and this year, the group’s executive has selected Lupus 242 as the organisation’s official JA Cares partner.

The non-profit group will receive part proceeds from JA Bahamas’ annual steak out set for March 4.

Over the past two years, Lupus 242 has worked directly with two JA companies - the BEC Fuse and BEC Volts - to raise awareness and team up for fundraising initiatives. Lupus 242 vice-president, Shonalee Johnson, sees the connection between JA and the lupus community growing and strengthening in the years to come.

“We are pleased to join forces with Junior Achievement Bahamas to continue to push our platform of raising lupus awareness,” Mrs Johnson said. “This relationship started out with young achievers and their advisors reaching out to our organisation after one of their own members was diagnosed with lupus and later passed away. The Achievers genuinely wanted to learn more about the disease and were determined to help us in our mission to advocate for persons in the Bahamas living with lupus.

“This most recent partnership with JA Bahamas’ governing body speaks to the organisation’s commitment to providing achievers with opportunities to be well-rounded citizens. We are grateful for their generosity and we wish them much success during JA month.”

More than 5.5 million people around the world live with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease brought on by genetics, environment and hormonal imbalances in the body. Common symptoms include debilitating pain, fatigue and unexplained flare-ups impacting random parts of the body especially internal organs.

With entrepreneurship, financial responsibility and career planning at the core of the programme’s objectives, JA leaders and advisors used the month to create networking opportunities for the students. Already, the youth-based initiative has held a series of events under the theme ‘Solving Tomorrow’s Problems Today! to commemorate the month - including speech competitions, an open house exhibition and competition, the annual church service, job shadowing and a college and career fair. The BahamaJAC conference is scheduled for February 24-26.

Philip Simon, Acting Executive Director and Vice-Chairman of Junior Achievement Bahamas, said the organisation has existed locally for almost 40 years and has played a significant role in entrepreneurship, financial literacy and economic training for thousands of current and former Achievers. “The principles of JA bode very well in the overall development of our country’s youth, from kindergarten to high school and beyond,” he said.

“We recognise and celebrate the many corporate sponsors, volunteers, staff and supporters in the private and public sectors who have made this programme possible throughout the Commonwealth. But most importantly, and collectively, we remain committed to positioning our students for future success.”

On the donation to Lupus 242, Mr Simon said: “Partnering with a group like Lupus 242 is a way for us to show our achievers the importance of giving back and it allows them to learn, at a very early age, what it means to have empathy for others beyond just a corporate social responsibility in business.”

Lupus 242 was established in 2012 to provide awareness, education and support. In May, the group will commemorate Lupus Awareness Month in The Bahamas.