Bob Marley’s widow, Rita Marley celebrated her 75th birthday virtually with a tribute concert and announced a new annual scholarship for women.
The online celebration, concert, and performances were presented by Tuff Gong Radio, which was founded by the reggae legend Bob Marley. The event was broadcasted from Kingston, Jamaica.
The most important part of this birthday celebration was the announcement of Rita Marley’s Scholarship Program. The main focus of this scholarship is to empower “women from the lower socio-economic stratum of Jamaica’s society.”
As per the plan, this scholarship will be awarded to three women each year. Out of the first three candidates who have been offered this scholarship, two women will be studying nursing to pursue a career in that field while the third candidate will be a single mother who experienced teenage pregnancy.
Rita Marley’s daughter ‘Sharon Marley’ gave a statement to Billboard, saying,
“Providing scholarships for young women needing assistance to complete their educational goals — thus maintaining and bringing high standards to their communities — is a big part of Dr. Rita Marley’s vision.”
“Programs created by The Rita Marley foundation are giving voices to hundreds of youths,” She continued.
According to the Rita Marley Foundation, they have set up an online portal on the Rita Marley Foundation’s official website for conducting calls for scholarship applications. The deadline for scholarship application submissions is Monday, August 9, 2021.
Apart from this generous move by Rita Marley, the event had many tribute performances from friends and family. Some of the noticeable performers were Judy Mowatt, Tessanne Chin, and Marcia Griffiths (former I-Three singer and backing vocalist for Bob Marley and The Wailers).
Former I-Three singer, ‘Marcia Griffiths’ praised Rita and told Billboard,
“Yes, she has preserved and protected Bob Marley’s legacy, but on a larger scale, she has not only inspired generations worldwide but has also increased tourism to our country.”
“In a real way, the companies she founded have created jobs that help people improve their lives and provide for their families. Even in the international market, she has built and donated facilities and contributed funding to help the elderly and children in African countries.”
Besides the performances and scholarship announcement, it also comprised a virtual tour of the Rita Marley exhibit at the Bob Marley Museum.
Rita Marley is highly respected philanthropist, honored all over the world for her humanitarian work. Not only does she work as an entertainer, but she has also led several humanitarian programs in Jamaica, Ghana, and the United States.
Cedella Marley (The firstborn child of Bob and Rita and the Current head of the Marley Group) said,
“My mom is my best friend, my inspiration, and, regardless of my title, she is very much still the boss.”
“The Bob Marley legacy that the world knows today is due in no small part to the work of Mrs. Marley. If ‘We Must Carry On’ was a person, it would be Rita Marley. We are blessed to be able to honor her.”
The 75th Birthday of the reggae legend Bob Marley continues with the second mini-documentary ‘Women Rising’. All credit to the Marley family and Universal Music Enterprises, who rolled out a year’s worth of content to honor Bob’s legacy.
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Chris Mack
