Citi TT Celebrates Its Global Community Day with Hands-On Agricultural Experience with Beneficiaries of The Trust for the Americas' DIA Lab TT

Valencia, Trinidad and Tobago – June 22, 2024 – Citi Trinidad and Tobago is delighted to announce an exceptional and engaging celebration for the 19th annual Global Community Day (GCD) at the H2O Grow agricultural farm in Valencia. This event, held in collaboration with beneficiaries from The Trust for the Americas' DIA Youth Innovation Lab TT, implemented by CARIRI, invited participants and their families to step out of their everyday routines and immerse themselves in the vibrant world of sustainable farming. Attendees gained hands-on experience, fostering a deeper connection with their community and the environment. 

Founded by the visionary Antonio Ramcharan, the DIA Pitch Tank Competition 2024 winner, H2O Grow is a beacon of sustainable innovation. This remarkable farm uses hydroponics technology and custom-developed modular drip irrigation systems to produce organic food locally without the use of pesticides and insecticides. Antonio's dedication to sustainable farming offers healthier food options and sets a powerful example for sustainable agriculture. 

The day was a whirlwind of interactive activities, designed to educate and inspire. Over 40 Citi volunteers and their family members had the unique opportunity to connect with beneficiaries from the DIA Lab, fostering community bonds and sharing experiences. Volunteers immersed in farm activities, engaging in ice breaker farm games, a tour around the farm, pot decorating, seedling tray setup to learn the life cycle of a plant, planting seedlings, hydroponic lettuce planting, chive bed planting, and tree planting. 

Melissa London, Senior Executive Assistant & PAO at Citi TT, shared: "The event struck the perfect balance between informative content and engaging fun. It provided a unique opportunity for our volunteers to learn about sustainable farming while enjoying hands-on activities. The experience left us all feeling more connected to our community and inspired by the innovative techniques we encountered. It was truly unforgettable."  

In the closing remarks, Mitchell De Silva, CCO & Banking Head Citibank Trinidad & Tobago, said: “Citi’s Global Community Day fosters varied things, a time to make an impact on our community, to build camaraderie, to learn, to grow.  Our efforts are targeted at making a real and sustainable difference in the lives of those persons we encounter. On June 22nd Citi ventured to a farm in Valencia to spend time with a young farmer, Antonio Ramcharan, a mechanical engineer by training but whose life’s challenges encouraged him to choose another path.  Antonio’s drive led him to establish a farm in Valencia, where he grows lettuce using hydroponic technology. His farm predominantly serves the Sangre Grande community, but he has ambitions to move beyond those borders.  Our team spent the day listening to Antonio’s inspirational story and his plans, while doing what we could to lend a hand on the farm itself. While our focus on this day is more on what we can do for the people we assist, I believe the opposite happened on the 22nd, Antonio, without a doubt, gave us more than he received. Global Community Day 2024 will be remembered for its unique and enriching experience.” 

Global Community Day is integral to Citi's annual corporate-wide day of service. This initiative creates valuable team-building opportunities, allowing employees to make meaningful contributions to their communities. Whether mentoring youth, conserving parks, or educating the public about sustainable ecosystems, GCD activities are designed to address a wide range of community needs. 

In June 2021, The Trust for the Americas, in partnership with the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and with the financial backing of Citi Foundation, launched the DIA Lab in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. This initiative empowers young innovators and disruptive entrepreneurs to create low-cost, high-impact solutions that generate affordable access and livelihood opportunities for their communities. The DIA Lab TT's mission is to promote innovation and foster the creation of disruptive solutions among the youth of Trinidad and Tobago. By providing training and access to cutting-edge technology, the lab aims to develop skills that will enable long-term, sustainable community development. 

***       

About The Trust for the Americas:     

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada.       

More information: www.thetrustfortheamericas.org        

About Citi: 

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.   

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.   

About Citi Foundation: 

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit  www.citifoundation.com.