Popular recording artiste Richie Stephens handed over $500,000 on Monday to Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, minister of youth, sports and culture, as a donation to the Sisters-to-Sisters fund-raising effort which she launched in 2008.

The donation is part of the proceeds from Stephens' Take Me Away concert staged two weeks ago. In expressing gratitude, Grange told Stephens that, "You are a perfect example of an artiste with a social conscience, a model for other artistes to emulate."

Responding to the minister, the recording star said, "I am happy that you are happy. I have always accepted the importance of giving back to society and, this year, I chose the Sisters-to-Sisters."

Ongoing fund-raiser

Grange explained that when she launched Sisters-to-Sisters, an ongoing fund-raiser involving female artistes and women in media, with a mediathon at the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC) last year, a number of men had given good support.

"We named that group of men who supported us 'Brothers-for-Sisters', and now the partnership with our men has been reinforced with this donation of half-million dollars from Richie."

Grange said a portion of Richie's donation would assist the upgrading of the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation at Trafalgar Road in Kingston. The centre is operated to help pregnant school girls get their education back on track and to acquire a skill. Baby fathers are also counselled, the minister said.

She said the rest of the money will go towards the ministry's project to build centres for abused women, one of which will be built in Kingston and two others in central and western Jamaica, on properties which will be identified by the Ministry of Housing and the National Land Agency.

The Sisters-to-Sisters fund-raiser was launched to coincide with International Women's Day and has a set target of $10 million. "We raised seven million in cash and have received kind and pledges which have taken us well beyond the $10m target," the minister said.

A walkathon

Richie Stephens performs during Take Me Away. - Photo by Colin Hamilton

Grange also disclosed that more Sisters-to-Sisters fund-raisers planned include a walkathon, an all-female performers concert and the production of an album. And once the album is released, she said, "the artistes will be making overseas appearances to support the sale of the album and to generate foreign exchange. With the support of the Brothers-for-Sisters and the public in general, Sisters-to-Sisters will accomplish much more to assist our women in need."

The chairman of Sisters-to-Sisters is broadcaster Paula Ann Porter-Jones, and top artistes who have been involved with the charity include Etana, Queen Ifrica, Marcia Griffiths and Cecile.