Impacting Jamaica

Twelve communities across Jamaica are getting outstanding support from a United States-funded initiative to reduce crime and violence. Positive Pathways is already having an impact among young people, parents and caregivers in ‘hotspot’ areas. The programme runs for five years, ending in 2025.The initiatives under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded unique project...

Kadene Vidol does not scoff at what people do for a living. Everyone has a goal and must do everything possible to achieve. When she was faced with financial problems and couldn’t continue to pay her university fees, she headed to the market – the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay, St James, as a vendor.“When I started the business I said to myself I need this money to pay for my tuition and my...

Glen Christian is one of Jamaica’s most outstanding businessmen, heading the Cari-Med Group. Throughout his business successes, he often recalls his roots as a proud graduate of the Mico University College, the country’s oldest teacher training institution. Now, the veteran entrepreneur is taking on possibly his biggest project to date – developing a centre for the training of teachers in Science,...

Laughter is your vaccine and social distance from negative energy are the timely nuggets of wisdom shared by beloved comedian, actor and entertainer Ian ‘Ity’ Ellis. He emphasized the importance of remaining positive along life’s journey. “Bask in the moment. Surround yourself with persons who have positive spirits…if they are not, say far,” said the noted comedian. The talented Jamaican, who is i...

York Castle High School is “embedded in the community” of Brown’s Town in St Ann, said Milton Brady, the managing director of the York Castle Foundation. “York Castle is not a school. It is a community,” declared Irwin Clare, Snr, Trustee of the York Castle High School Alumni Association, New York Chapter. The two emphasized the importance of the school to the community, and its role in shaping we...

Christine Gore is making a difference in the lives of thousands of Jamaica’s youngest and most vulnerable. She walked away from her highly successful law practice in 2004 to focus on giving back to her country. Mrs. Gore and her husband use the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation as the primary vehicle to take on philanthropy full time.“I have no regrets about doing it,” declared Mrs. Gor...

Red Stripe is helping beer lovers, bartenders and bar operators to better appreciate, serve and enjoy the beverage. Through its Beer Love Academy, the company is aiming to raise the standard and improve the careers of professionals in the industry through skills development. According to Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dianne Ashton-Smith, the programme is about building beer connoisseurs....

Professor Brendan Bain caught the interest of many in 2021 when he spoke to the early beginnings of HIV/AIDS in Jamaica and compared it with the early beginnings of the COVID-19 virus, now a pandemic. He also urged the public not to discriminate against those with the disease. The professor said: “Whereas I have learnt to respect the viruses that caused these diseases, I try not to be so afraid of...

The story of businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe inspired listeners during 2021. She shared this in her book, The Will To Overcome, and in a podcast interview with Impacting Jamaica. Mrs. Hinchcliffe was also at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a riveting series for The Gleaner newspaper in Kingston, Jamaica. Many look to her and her business, Manpower & Maintenan...

Jamaicans abroad were excited with news of the launch of a radio station with them at the centre – The Bridge 99FM. That was in July. In November, the Caribbean Global Network-owned station launched into Canada with a series of simulcasts with G98.7FM."This is the very first time that three commercial stations from Canada, New York and Jamaica are simulcasting, all in the name of connecting Ja...

Listeners fell in love with the pig-headed discipline and focused determination of Mrs. Kadian Palmer-Asemota. As a child, she hopped from parish to parish in Jamaica to live with relatives, and eventually dropped out of high school. Palmer-Asemota went to work as a bartender to help fund her brother’s schooling. She migrated to the United States to join her husband but life wasn’t easy. An empty...

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic over 18 months ago and the massive loss of jobs that followed compelled many Jamaicans to turn to alternative means to survive. A number of persons, including some in the hospitality sector, pivoted to agriculture. Poultry and egg farming suddenly became a viable business for many and with assistance of HiPro Farm Supplies, small producers were able to supply alm...

There is no greater joy than the joy of giving back to an organisation or association benefiting individuals, in this case students. That’s the mantra of members of the newly-formed Tivoli Gardens High School Alumni Track Corporation, the newest member of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), USA, Inc.“It is just an honour to be right here giving back,” said an executive member of the...

Do you want to earn extra cash? Do you have items to sell? Check out GOFFAH, an e-commerce platform founded by a Jamaican. It is where you can earn, shop, sell and save, said Odetta Rockhead-Kerr, the platform’s owner.“There is no other e-commerce platform like it in the world,” said Rockhead-Kerr, who has 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in the outsourcing, technology and transformation spa...

The Immaculate Conception High School Alumnae Association, New York Chapter, is focused on improving the human capital at the all-female institution of secondary learning in Kingston, Jamaica. Boasting an impressive list of accomplishments, including but not limited to scholarships, mentorship, donation of e-learning devices and a diaspora outreach to volcano-ravaged St. Vincent and The Grenadines...

Dawn Butler is a highly committed, determined and focused Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent Central in North West London. She won’t back away from a challenge. She is a fighter for justice, a fighter for equal rights. Dawn works tirelessly for the betterment of her constituents and others across the United Kingdom, walking in the footsteps of her late father who was always supporting and giving...

What is happiness? Many people want to learn the secrets on how to be truly happy in life. Noted counselling psychologist Andre Allen Casey says happiness is a state of mind and thinking. Did you ever wonder what it really takes to be truly happy? Many people tried pursuing relationships, money, and success, and most of them have reached that point when they have realized that happiness does not r...

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) continues to transform its operations to better serve the public, both in Jamaica and diaspora communities. Its online offerings are vastly improved and public satisfaction has been high, said Courtney Johnson, the taxpayer education officer at the TAJ. “Over 75 per cent of our customers found that using the online platform is convenient, it is safe…,” he said. Joh...

The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has been supporting charities in Jamaica for close to 40 years. Its areas of focus are education, healthcare and economic development. AFJ Executive Director Caron Chung says it is now time again for entities in Jamaica to apply for support through the organization that has issued grants in the region of US$16 million over the last 39 years. The deadline for a...

Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs Dianne Ashton-Smith is passionate about shaping a culture of responsibility and ensuring that parents have the tools to enable their children to say no to underage drinking. As one parent put it, “Sometimes we don’t have the full information about the issues relating to underage drinking.”Through a programme, including the teaching of parents about their role...

The lived experiences and traditions of Nanny, were largely spent on activities outside of warfare, noted Dr. Leo R. Douglas, an Assistant Clinical Professor at New York University (NYU).In contrast, the lived experiences of maroon leaders of the day revolved around African spirituality, facilitating community wellness, and deepening their understanding of the Jamaican interior, the forests, and l...

Ricardo Allen heads one of Jamaica’s top education digital service providers, One-on-One Educational Services Ltd. It has experienced exceptional growth since its start in 2013, expanding into several Caribbean countries. Today it stands ready to assist Jamaica and the region to tackle the gaps created in the system by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that shut down schools across the region for in ex...

Terri-Karelle Reid is the human ethernet-connector of people and dots. Having graced the stage at events across the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and North America, Terri-Karelle has built a brand that is synonymous with the word excellence in every way. She is an events and television host, speaker, content curator, online branding expert and storyteller. Recently, she stepped onto a huge stage – the T...

Egbert von Frankenberg moved to Jamaica from Germany 16 years ago. He entered the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector six years ago when he co-founded the software development firm, Knightfox Apps Design. He’s upbeat about the sector, arguing that it is a huge plus for the Jamaican economy and its people, as a key employer of labour. The chief executive officer of the business is a graduate...

From an inner-city St Catherine community to a graduate of one of the top universities in the United States and the world, Tarick Walton has turned his sights on giving back to Jamaica. He, and others, are working with educators to transform the St Johns Road Primary School through the Walton and Friends, a non-profit organization that he co-founded while in college. Tarick, a graduate of Campion...