GraceKennedy (GK) is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Jamaican Birthright Programme, with the deadline for submissions set for November 30, 2024.

The 2025 programme will welcome four university students of Jamaican descent from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States for a five-week professional and cultural internship in Jamaica. The internship, scheduled from June 28 to August 7, 2025, offers participants a unique chance to work with a GraceKennedy subsidiary aligned with their career goals while deepening their connection to Jamaican culture through immersive Heritage Pathway tours.

Caroline Mahfood, CEO of the GK Foundation, which coordinates the programme on the Company’s behalf, expressed the importance of fostering relationships with the next generation of the Jamaican diaspora, saying, “Connecting with the next generation is very important to GraceKennedy. Many second and third-generation Jamaicans are familiar with our delicious food and world-renowned music but have never had the opportunity to experience our culture in a way that allows them to make deep, long-lasting connections with Jamaica. That’s the aim of the Birthright Programme.”

Eligible applicants for the 2025 GK Birthright Programme must be second or third-generation Jamaicans (with Jamaican parents or grandparents), aged 18-25 years, and enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme with a Grade ‘B’ average or higher. They should also demonstrate a strong passion for learning about their Jamaican heritage and a genuine interest in contributing to diaspora activities.

For more information and application details, visit www.bit.ly/GKBirthright or email gkfoundation@gkco.com with any inquiries.


2024 GK Birthright interns, L-R: Madison Thomas (USA), Tariq Brown (UK), Romari Smith (Canada) and Lauren Walcott (USA) at GraceKennedy’s headquarters in downtown Kingston.