CCRIF Surpasses US$1.8 Million in Scholarships to Caribbean Nationals

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Nov. 15 -- The Association of Caribbean States issued the following news release:

The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) has announced the award of 11 scholarships, totaling US$80,000, for students pursuing postgraduate and undergraduate studies in comprehensive disaster risk management (CDRM) at Caribbean universities for the academic year 2023/24.

The ceremony, held at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in Jamaica on November 7, celebrated the achievements of the scholarship recipients and highlighted the significant role CCRIF plays in investing in and nurturing a talent pool of youth in CDRM.

Since the program's inception in 2010, CCRIF has provided 176 scholarships totaling US$1.8 million to Caribbean nationals studying at regional and international universities. The scholarship recipients cover various disciplines related to disaster risk management, including Enterprise Risk Management, Environmental Management, Seismology, Natural Resource Management, Built Environment, Geology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Geography, and Environmental and Natural Resource Management.

The scholarship program is part of CCRIF's broader Technical Assistance Program, which aims to develop a cadre of individuals contributing to effective disaster risk financing, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, and environmental sustainability in the region.

Over the 13-year period, scholarships have been provided to students from 13 Caribbean countries at universities such as The University of the West Indies, University of Technology, Jamaica, University of Guyana, and University of Trinidad and Tobago.

The awards ceremony also marked the launch of the 2024 CCRIF scholarship programs, with applications now open. Persons can visit the CCRIF website to apply at: https://www.ccrif.org/ccrif-uwi-scholarships (undergraduate) or https://www.ccrif.org/scholarship (postgraduate).