ICAJ NEWS

Giving Hope To Teenage Girls At The Elsie Bemand Home

The Elsie Bemand Girls' Home benefited from a $100,000 contribution from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) recently.

The Home, which celebrates its 25th Anniversary, is supported by the ICAJ annually through donations from members as well as funds generated from Dutch auctions held during the Institute's Christmas Luncheons.

The $100,000 donation represented amounts collected at the Institute's Dutch auction last year December as well as the generous contribution of Mr. Derek Rostant, Partner in the Forensic & Accounting Practice of KPMG Canada, who requested that his professional fee be donated to a local charity. Mr. Rostant was the main presenter at a seminar hosted by the ICAJ on "Forensic Accounting and CIS Auditing Tools" on Saturday, April 24, 2004 at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

"As part of our commitment to national issues and in recognition of the financial difficulties and other constraints facing the Home, the Institute through its membership, has been and will continue to support the Home and in so doing provide hope for the girls there," stated Mr. Linroy Marshall, ICAJ President during the presentation of the cheque.

The Home, which was established in 1979 though the instrumentality of Justice Ena Allen and other members of the St. Andrew Business and Professional Women's Club, has served as a haven for adolescent girls who have been placed in the Home for their care and protection by the Family Court.

During the 25 years of its existence, over 400 girls have been admitted to the Home for periods ranging from overnight to several years. The girls attend schools in the Corporate Area, including High Schools, and some have been successful in the CXC and GCE Examinations. Today, some of the girls who have left the Home are making their contribution both in the public and private sectors.

Mrs. Essene Lewis, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Elsie Bemand Home, who accepted the cheque on behalf of the Home, noted that it has been a challenge over the years to maintain the Home financially. She expressed appreciation for the generosity of the Institute and other organizations as well as individuals who through their donations continue to give hope to the girls at the Elsie Bemand Home.

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