Fri | Mar 29, 2024

Golden Eye Foundation grants St Mary schools $3m, launches agri support programme

Published:Thursday | May 26, 2022 | 12:09 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
 From left: Travis Graham, manager at Golden Eye Foundation, speaks with principal at Oracabessa High School, Natrecia Whyte-Lothian, senior vice-principal Donovan Thomas, and Shavel Lawrence of the foundation, at James Bond Beach after presenting a cheque
From left: Travis Graham, manager at Golden Eye Foundation, speaks with principal at Oracabessa High School, Natrecia Whyte-Lothian, senior vice-principal Donovan Thomas, and Shavel Lawrence of the foundation, at James Bond Beach after presenting a cheque to the school.
Personnel from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority conducting a farm visit involving one of the Support Local Growing Together programme participants in Oracabessa.
Personnel from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority conducting a farm visit involving one of the Support Local Growing Together programme participants in Oracabessa.
 Margaret, a first-round SLGT beneficiary, shows off plantains from her farm.
Margaret, a first-round SLGT beneficiary, shows off plantains from her farm.
Iran, a first-round SLGT beneficiary, in his chicken house.
Iran, a first-round SLGT beneficiary, in his chicken house.
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The Golden Eye Foundation, formerly Oracabessa Foundation, on Friday granted eight schools in St Mary a total of $3 million to implement projects at the institutions.

At the same time, the foundation has announced the launch of its second project cycle for its Supporting Local Growing Together (SLGT) agriculture programme. Oracabessa High and Oracabessa Primary topped the list of schools with a grant of $600,000 each while Covent Basic, Oracabessa New Testament Church of God Early Childhood Institute, Race Course Church of Christ Basic, Sunshine Early Childhood Institution, Cross Road Basic, and Grace Childcare and Learning Centre each received $300,000.

The schools were chosen after pitching proposals outlining their respective needs and how they plan to use the funds.

Foundation Manager Travis Graham said the initiative is geared at enhancing educational outcomes of schools within the community, which has been a long-time vision of the foundation’s chairpersons, Chris Blackwood and Marika Kessler.

Principal of Oracabessa High, Natrecia Whyte-Lothian, in outlining her plans for the grant, said there is a shortage of classroom space at the school and the funds will be used to address that situation.

SPACE CHALLENGE

According to Whyte-Lothian: “Oracabessa High School is a shift school and so there has always been a challenge with space. We’re getting $600,000 and that is far from creating a classroom so we’re being very creative. We are creating a teaching space – a foundation, an upright and a roof, which will be used as a multipurpose space to do all the other activities, and this grant really make a difference in our lives.”

Whyte-Lothian, who replied on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed sincere gratitude to Golden Eye Foundation for the grants.

Meanwhile, for the second year, 10 persons will benefit from support via the Golden Eye Foundation, in enhancing their agro business projects, under the SLGT Agriculture Programme.

The SLGT is a nine-month programme that supports livelihood development, entrepreneurship, and food security within the community of Oracabessa, according to Graham.

He said participants will benefit from the provision of hardware and agricultural resource to start or enhance their farm businesses.

This includes a nine-month agro business workshop curriculum that provides training in areas such as entrepreneurship, small business development, livestock farming, crop farming, financial management, social media marketing, organic farming, packaging, value added products, and pitching to clients. There is also technical support and farm visits by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA.)

The SLGT agri programme emerged out of the pandemic, it was pointed out, as Blackwell and Kessler wanted to assist hotel workers whose employment had been affected by the collapse of the tourism sector.

The initiative was meant to provide opportunities for displaced workers to create incomes for themselves.

The first set of beneficiaries for whom the initial programme ended in December are earning incomes from their business, with most selling chicken and cash crops directly to persons in their community, with some even selling to Golden Eye.

Graham noted the support that Blackwell and Kessler are giving the foundation, which allowed the two projects to go ahead.

“Through them we have been able to align the foundation’s vision with that of the property (Golden Eye) and along with the name change we can now pull more resources that we can now do bigger initiatives such as this, that has a greater impact in sustainably developing the community,” Graham told The Gleaner.

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com