In March of 2020, local not-for-profit organisation Literacy Is For Everyone (LIFE), partnered with Intertrust Group, the largest trust and corporate service provider in Cayman to furnish all government primary schools in the Cayman islands with curated in class libraries.

All 11 primary schools benefited from the very generous sum of KYD $277,319 which was used to purchase a total of 27,734 books. These class libraries, which include mentor texts, fiction and non-fiction, poetry and even book bags for Lighthouse School, support both students and teachers in the classroom. The books will be used for reading and writing instruction, during silent reading periods, and for reference while studying specific topics.

LIFE worked closely with Ministry of Education Literacy Specialists, primary school Principals and Literacy Coordinators to curate the orders that all came from the UK.

Temporary Minister for Education, The Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks said “The Ministry is extremely appreciative of this generous donation by the Intertrust Group, facilitated by LIFE. This initiative will strengthen the Department of Education’s offerings to drive improvements in literacy and research across the Public Primary Education Sector.”

Special thanks go out to dedicated LIFE volunteers, Erin Galatopoulos and Sharon Galloway who were highly instrumental to the success of this project. They worked tirelessly on orders and shipping logistics despite the challenges of Brexit and COVID-19.

Jon Barratt, Managing Director Intertrust Group, Cayman said “Intertrust Group is committed to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education— what better way to support inclusive and equitable learning than stocking eleven classroom libraries? To know the books will have a lasting impact on Cayman’s future leaders is something we’re very proud of.”

Erica Dell’Oglio, LIFE’s Executive Director, stated, “We are so extremely grateful to Intertrust for their commitment to this ambitious project, they also gave of their time joining our volunteers to assist in stickering and delivering of the books, ensuring that every public classroom in Cayman now has a print rich environment to foster literacy and a passion for the written word.”

About Intertrust Group

At Intertrust Group our 4,000 employees are dedicated to providing world-leading, specialised administration services to clients in over 30 jurisdictions. This is amplified by the support we offer across our approved partner network which covers a further 100+ jurisdictions. Our focus on bespoke corporate, fund, capital market and private wealth services enables our clients to invest, grow and thrive anywhere in the world. Sitting at the heart of international business, our local, expert knowledge and innovative, proprietary technology combine to deliver a compelling proposition – all of which keeps our clients one step ahead.

About LIFE

Established in 2012, LIFE Ltd. is a registered not-for-profit organisation and is Cayman’s literacy charity. Improving literacy has been proven to reduce poverty, crime, and unemployment, as well as increase job skills and enhance the opportunities available to residents in the Cayman Islands.