Antiguan teen to embark on global leadership journey with LEAP Scholarship

A young trailblazer from Antigua and Barbuda has secured a golden opportunity to immerse herself in global female leadership development.

Seventeen-year-old Jo-Anna Gasper is the recipients of the Leadership and Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (LEAP) Female Leadership Scholarship

The JCG Foundation, in collaboration with the High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda, recently introduced the scholarship which is reserved for an exceptional student from Antigua and Barbuda, grants access to the LEAP 2024 female leadership program hosted on Jersey Island in the Channel Islands.

Gasper, a pre-med student and the visionary behind Anna Banana’s Waffle Express, said she couldn’t contain her excitement upon receiving the news. “I was so excited I couldn’t believe it,” she shared. “I am really excited to travel to jersey so I can meet all those wonderful people…that way I learn about more ways to develop my business to make it greater and I can also network and expand…”

Initiated in 2018, LEAP endeavors to foster global collaboration among students to tackle pressing challenges.

The LEAP Scholarship, encompassing travel, accommodation, sustenance, and participation in the LEAP program, was accessible to female students aged 14 to 18 from Antigua and Barbuda.

During the programme, participants will engage in collaborative sessions with peers worldwide, crafting and presenting social enterprise projects to an esteemed panel of investors.

Led by industry leaders such as CEOs and managing directors, participants will receive invaluable training in business development, social impact, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

Additionally, they will forge enduring international connections, enriching their global perspective and network.