Upliftment Jamaica providing opportunities for St Thomas communities through farming project

South Florida Caribbean NewsJuly 28, 2015

0 97 2 minutes read

(L-R): Rebecca Harper, Manager of Agriculture and Fisheries at Food for the Poor and Patrice Smith-Sterling, Grants and Finance Specialist at the Digicel Foundation pay keen attention to Gary Foster, Chairman of Upliftment Jamaica as he discusses the work being done at the site in White Horses, St. Thomas.

White Horses, St. Thomas – Dedicated to giving back to St. Thomas, Upliftment Jamaica is making a move towards sustainability through a multi-million dollar farming project.

“This project is life changing. More families will be able to send their children to school; the quality of life will be greatly enhanced as they will be more independent, “explains Gary Foster, Chairman of Upliftment Jamaica. Over 100 families based in White Horses, Botany Bay and Russell in St. Thomas will be benefitting from animal husbandry and cash crops under the Upliftment Farm Project.

“The businesses in the area will also benefit from improved commerce, an increase in products and produce,” he added. Managed by the St. Thomas based philanthropic group Upliftment Jamaica, the project is being completed in partnership with Digicel Foundation and Food for the Poor Jamaica.

Upliftment Jamaica have been working in St. Thomas since 1999 giving back through various charity functions, sports, recreational and arts programmes. Founded by five childhood friends from White Horses, the group is looking to make an even bigger impact through agriculture. “We needed to move on from giving things that are not sustainable,” said Foster.

L-R: Rebecca Harper, Manager of Agriculture and Fisheries at Food for the Poor and Patrice Smith-Sterling, Grants and Finance Specialist at the Digicel Foundation pay keen attention to Gary Foster, Chairman of Upliftment Jamaica as he discusses the work being done at the site in White Horses, St. Thomas.

Currently employing 60 persons from St. Thomas, Upliftment Jamaica is moving towards full operations by the end of September. For Conroy Goldbourne, a 49-year-old mason from White Horses, the prospects are looking good. “Projects like this can take a lot of people off the street. This is a good thing for the community to enhance mostly the young people with jobs,” he said.

Althea Wilson, a 40 year-old farmer, is looking forward to rearing chickens under the project. “I really want to see this work as the youth needs things to do, this will uplift the community. There is lots of unemployment here.”

Youngsters like 22 year-old Sashowna Allen will be furthering her education in food preparation so that she too can be a part of the benefits to come.

Community members from White Horses have come together to work on the building of a pig pen on the site of the Upliftment Farm Project at White Horses, St. Thomas:

Located in Shady Springs, White Horses, the Upliftment Farm Project will soon be boasting a full complement of goats and pigs for rearing, bee keeping and cash crops courtesy of Food for the Poor Jamaica. The project recently partnered with the Digicel Foundation to construct a chicken coop and slaughter house, as well as for the provision of chickens and feeding.

ADVERTISEMENT