ZHTF names winners of 10th anniversary essay, art and photography competition

By S.Browne. Updated 7:55 p.m., Tuesday, May 12, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The Zero Hunger Trust Fund (ZHTF) has announced the winners of its 10th Anniversary Essay, Art and Photography Competition, held under the theme ‘Hunger Free SVG – My Role, My Future’.

In the essay category, Lendre Pemberton of St. Vincent Grammar School placed first in the junior division, followed by Adan Phillips of Roman Catholic Primary School in second place and Xhara Samuel of Calliaqua Anglican School in third.

In the senior division, Juliano Christopher of North Union Secondary School took first place, with Dia Lavia of North Union Secondary School placing second and Valdine Stapleton of St. Joseph’s Convent Kingstown placing third.

In the art category, Kaylana Thomas of Thomas Saunders Secondary School placed first for ‘Feast & Famine’, followed by Cheneil Barker of the same school in second place for ‘Sharing is Caring’ and Summer Joseph of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College in third place.

The essay, art and photography competition formed part of the Zero Hunger Trust Fund’s 10th anniversary activities aimed at encouraging youth participation in national discussions on hunger and food security.

The competition ran from April 1 to 23, 2026 and invited young people between the ages of 9 and 20 across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to explore issues related to hunger, food security, nutrition, sustainability and community resilience through essay and visual art submissions.

Director and Chief Executive Officer of the ZHTF, Safiya Horne-Bique, said the competition demonstrated the depth of creativity, awareness and civic responsibility among Vincentian youth.

“As we commemorate ten years of the Zero Hunger Trust Fund, we wanted young people to be active participants in shaping the national conversation on food and nutrition security. The submissions reflected not only creativity and talent, but also a deep understanding of the challenges facing our country and the collective responsibility required to build a stronger, healthier and more resilient Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,” she said.

Senior Programme Officer Alanda Moses commended participants for their engagement with issues affecting their communities.

“Through essays and artwork, participants challenged us to think differently about hunger, agriculture, sustainability, sharing and community support. Their ideas and perspectives remind us that youth must remain central to the future of food systems transformation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,” she said.


The ZHTF noted that no entries were received for the Photography category and said it is exploring the possibility of relaunching the component as a standalone competition with enhanced prizes and incentives to encourage wider participation.

The Zero Hunger Trust Fund (ZHTF) is Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ national mechanism for addressing hunger and improving food and nutrition security. Established by Parliament in 2016, it finances, coordinates and delivers programmes aimed at supporting children, older persons, vulnerable households, farmers and youth, while strengthening national resilience to economic and climate shocks.

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