Giving up wasn’t an option for Nayana Williams despite the struggles to get business going 18 years ago. She had no money, and financial institutions were unwilling to help.Notwithstanding, she started a bottled water company – Lifespan – in Portland after returning home from abroad with her husband. Today she and her team – which moved from three …

Counselling psychologist Kevin Bailey is urging men to always be open and willing to adjust to thrive.“Don’t make a bad situation worse…be ready to make changes,” he told a group of men at a recent virtual health and wellness summit.He told them too that “we must have a mission statement of our personal life”; and that there is need for good mental…

On National Heroes Day, October 17, 2022, Dr Amina Blackwood-Meeks will accept the conferment of the Order of Distinction, in the Rank of Officer, for her outstanding contribution to arts and culture. Dr Blackwood-Meeks is happy that she is being recognised for her stellar work, especially storytelling, that is world-renowned, especially in Africa.…

With the impact of motor vehicle emissions on climate change becoming more obvious throughout the world, the switch to electric vehicles from traditional petrol-powered ones is set to accelerate in coming years. Jamaica’s electricity provider, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), is playing a critical role in this change. In this episode of th…

The electricity bill is a source of angst and frustration for many Jamaicans as the cost of this indispensable commodity continues to soar. Efforts to keep electricity costs under control have been futile for many. But here on the Impacting Jamaica podcast Ruthlyn Johnson, Customer Service Manager for Area East at JPS, breaks down your light bill i…

Jamaica is set to feel the impact from what is being described as its largest Social Transformation and Renewal initiative - Project STAR. Project STAR is an initiative of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and a plethora of non-governmental and civil society organisations. The $2 bi…

The advent of big tech companies like Amazon and Google have significantly influenced consumer behaviour and expectations worldwide, including in Jamaica. COVID-19 pandemic has also reduced access to in-person interactions and hastened the transition to online services.Electricity provider JPS has been adjusting to its customers’ changing needs, by…

“Listen with your eyes and your heart” when dealing with suicidal persons; that’s the advice from Dr. Donovan Thomas, founder, and president of Choose Life International, a non-profit organisation that has been working with suicidal persons since 2008.Dr. Thomas, who is also the author of the book, ‘Confronting Suicide: Helping Teens at Risk’, also…

Rhenay Harris is excited that her life-long dream of building a library and literacy centre for children in her community of Pusey District, in Point Hill, St. Catherine, has been realised.The facility, funded from her own pockets, was built in memory of her grandparents, Lucille, and Bertram Pinnock, who played an integral role in her early childh…

Principal of Great Start Academy Sheron Bent is passionate about doing all she can to help students fulfil their greatest potential.Mrs. Bent has countless stories of how just a little dedication can shape a positive outcome for students who may be ‘lagging behind.’As we take on the summer holidays, she advises that the programmes should be well st…

The ambition of children is unfathomable, but achieving those dreams is not something that can be done alone, they need help to get there. Burger King aspires to give their academic rocket ships the fuel they need to chase their dreams.This year, Burger King has committed to providing over 25 scholarships and book grants to high-achieving children …

The VM Foundation is on a mission to help build Jamaica. Launched in May 2018, the Foundation aims to positively transform the lives of Jamaicans in the areas of leadership and nation building; youth empowerment; and health and family life. To date, the VM Foundation has impacted millions of lives and it continues to embrace charitable causes that …

Stephen Hill has been there, done that. Now the boss of CIN TV, the number one television broadcaster of Caribbean-centric programmes in the New York tri-state area, is encouraging Jamaican businesses to recognize the value and aggressively take on the lucrative diaspora market as he has done.In this edition of Impacting Jamaica, with Host John Mye…

Marianne Sunshine is a writer, cultural commentator, and publicist.She is of Jamaican and Dominican heritage and has contributed to Black platforms, including The British Blacklist, Melan Magazine, and The Voice Newspaper. She began her career as an international publicist for Warner Music and Universal Music.Marianne is a leading voice in the Blac…

In these times, many people are exploring how to make their money work for them. Plus, markets are showing a distinct shift towards counting many more millennial investors among their ranks. And investors are getting younger these days. In Jamaica alone, for example, millennial investors ages 25 to 40 has jumped significantly, according to availabl…

Malta is the drink of choice that fuels energy for everyone. They are committed to giving back to caregivers; and supporting children-based initiatives such as the hosting of annual back-to-school events, the sponsorship of sporting activities in addition to supporting teams involving students.Melissa-Kim Johnson, Malta Brand Manager, and Cavell Ro…

The Barita Foundation was formed out of Rita Humphries Lewin’s passion to serve Jamaica’s children, especially in early childhood education. They foundation has emerged as an expanded form of the Barita Education Foundation, and its mission today is to contribute to national development goals. It is therefore supporting partnerships in education, y…

Many across the length and breadth of Jamaica, know actress and comedian Kathy 'Tandedeh' Grant as just that. What many don’t know, is her passion for education. All jokes aside, the trained drama teacher wants to see young people thrive and wants to see a day when Jamaica takes its culture so seriously, that a visual and performing arts high schoo…

In his 40-year career in the public service, Joe Halstead, a leader in the business and recreational sectors of the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario who is now retired, says he has never taken on a role which did not provide him with satisfaction. Some, he says, may define that as being successful.He served as Commissioner, Economic Deve…

As the education sector in Jamaica rebounds from the paralyzing effects of the global health crisis, members of the Cornwall College Old Boys’ Association are ready and willing to offer much-needed help and support to the present cohort.Their bold rescue plan includes a robust mentoring initiative, bursaries to needy students and improvements to th…

The advertisements are everywhere; luring Jamaicans to buy a ticket to their dreams. Legalised gambling is big business with huge amounts of money being won – and lost – daily. Children are not immune from the attraction of gambling, and some are betting from an early age, mostly on unregulated games in schools and communities. Some children lie, s…

Blackie, East Indian, Number 11, Bombay and of course Julie are just some of the types of mangoes we know and love in Jamaica.But no doubt about it, many Jamaicans love Julie. Interestingly, they are also quite enamoured by another ‘Julie Mango.’ Nicknamed by her father, Julie Mango is a popular social media influencer whose videos depict everyday …

Guided by the mission of the Morant Bay High School (MBHS) Alumni Association, (to develop the leaders of tomorrow by preparing all students to meet the high academic, technical, civic and workforce challenges of the twenty first century), past students in the global space, along with faculty members and parents, are making a difference.They have s…

Health and wellness take the spotlight today with fitness expert Shani McGraham-Shirley as Impacting Jamaica celebrates its first anniversary.Shani, chatting at a virtual wellness summit earlier this month, declared that when it comes to taking control of your wellness, “half the battle is what we eat”. She added: “I feel moderation is key; and if …

The VM Group is committed to working for the benefit of all its members, declared CEO of VM Pension Management Limited, Mr. Conroy Rose.“We thrive on helping people to achieve financial wellbeing,” he emphasised. “We are driven by the need to serve our members…and that is the fundamental driving force that VM is driven by.”Looking at the pension si…

Sadiki Harris, a child of Jamaican parents, is now a man fighting to keep his black community healthy through the organization, Black Thrive.His journey has brought up powerful questions, like ‘what is the black man?’ and ‘where does the idea of what a black man is come from?’. As he speaks to Impacting Jamaica’s Sinai Fleary, his work with Black T…

Sadiki Harris is Jamaican, but the marketing ace didn’t always want to be. Media representation and poor examples made him ashamed.That was until a trip to the island taught him different. A big part of Sadiki’s work with Black Thrive, an organization focusing on black mental health, is who he is, a Jamaican.​Impacting Jamaica’s Sinai Fleary began …

Sadiki Harris is responsible for ensuring Lambeth’s black communities engage with mental health projects that Black Thrive provide.Sadiki joined Black Thrive after meeting Jacqui Dyer at a mental health conference in 2016.Initially he joined as a volunteer, but now he is a key and valuable part of the team – changing the “look” and “feel” of the me…

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) is the Government of Jamaica’s arm in the fight to give the nation’s children, the very best start possible, with the recognition that stage is critical to the island’s development.The head of that arm is its chairman, Trisha Williams-Singh, who has overseen year-on-year growth in the number of institutions cert…

The University of the West Indies (UWI) continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.At the forefront of its benevolence is the AFUWI (The American Foundation for the University of the West Indies), a fundraising arm, under the e…

Today, Tuesday, March 22, is World Water Day; and to observe the day, Impacting Jamaica links with the Managing Director of the Water Resources Authority, Mr. Peter Clarke.“Jamaica is not a water scarce country,” he declares, noting that “we do have quite a lot of water and a lot of water reserves.” Mr. Thomas notes however that there are issues re…

Human resource and leadership consultant Natassia Wright feels more companies in Jamaica should invest in training and mentorship programmes for their teams.“It’s unfortunate that in our society here in Jamaica, I find that you have many companies that don’t see the value in developing people,” she says.She notes that each individual is a leader an…

Natassia Wright has overcome the fiery pangs of poverty and the tragic loss of both parents by age 17 to become an inspirational UN Peace Ambassador, Governor-General Awardee, and cofounder of Mind Food International, which now hires over 30 employees.“I was a dreamer as a child so even though things were happening to me my imagination never left m…

Everything is on track for the phased execution of Jamaica’s National Identification System (NIDS).The Andrew Holness-led administration has even appointed a minister to take charge of the system, Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Floyd Green.He said the system is highly protected; and that it is one of the best in ter…

“Mom was a teacher and dad worked in agriculture,” shares Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Floyd Green. Green, who is an attorney, credits his rural upbringing and country values of respect for your elders, principles of kindness and having ‘good manners’, as core to who he is today.Passionate about serving, he was inv…

Last year, when Chris Strikes, a Jamaican Canadian Toronto-based filmmaker and award-winning music video creator, read about the “patty wars” that took place in Toronto in 1985, he thought the story was absurd. Then he decided to research the story and found that it did happen in February — 37 years ago — when federal food inspectors deemed Jamaica…

Even throughout the pandemic over the last two years, real estate was one of the most vibrant sectors in the Jamaican economy. All over the island, construction of homes of all types - single family dwellings, high rise apartments, housing schemes - continue apace.But before you shell out your money to make a purchase, there are some things you sho…

For members of the Meadowbrook High School Alumni Association, giving back comes as easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3, Doh Ray-Me!“We want to reach back, to give back, while making it better for those now at the school, the institution that gave us so much when we were there as students,” offered three presidents – Nadine Moulton; SharoAnn Chisholm and Wayne Sw…

The National Baking Company boss is getting ready to make one of the firm’s largest investments in its history.Butch Hendrickson says he wants to see a better attitude in business and other sectors as Jamaica emerges from the damaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.Since 1994 he has headed the National Baking Company, a successful business produc…

The Manchester Beliefs, Values and Attitudes programme has been launched by Custos Garfield Green, to foster positive values and attitudes and a sense of social responsibility among citizens in the parish.The aim is to restore core values and principles that make communities thrive and promote civic pride in the society.Custos Green and his team, i…

Hailing from Jamaican parents, British-born Nathaniel Peat, is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur as well as a business coach and TEDx speaker. A pilot by profession, Nathaniel decided to become an entrepreneur and has since been acknowledged for his work on the Black Power List and Financial Times List.In 2015, Nathaniel was the only UK entreprene…

From very humble beginnings in rural Jamaica, Carolyn McLean moved to the United States for a better life for herself and her family.The untimely loss of a younger brother some eight years ago was painful, and as faith would have it, that adversity would bring with it, an opportunity to give back to her community and country, in memory of her dearl…

Born and raised in the UK to Jamaican parents, Mbeke Waseme grew up wanting to be an air hostess, but was encouraged by her parents to be more realistic in choosing her vocation in life, so she became a teacher. Traveling, living, and teaching in many different countries, Mbeke has inspected, analyzed, and made recommendations within the education …

The D&G Foundation has been at the centre of several initiatives that, for want of a better phrase, are ‘Impacting Jamaica’.One such is the way the organization has partnered with the St Monica’s Home for the Abandoned Elderly.Listen as Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris speaks with Hermine Briscoe, Manager of St Monica’s. Hear her story of …

'Music was my mother and father,' shares comedian, filmmaker, recording artiste and notable branch manager at one of the largest financial institutions in Jamaica, Don Reid. The Boom Shot artiste shares his inspirational journey of overcoming significant odds, such as being given away by his mother at two years old.He insists that the formula for s…

The Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) is on a massive drive to fight heart disease in Jamaica and the rest of the region.Located in Kingston, the institution, under the leadership of the highly respected and highly qualified Dr Ernest Madu, has engineered initiatives to make cardiovascular care affordable to all.He explained that many locals, …

The lives of some 7,500 students and their families across Jamaica are being impacted by Red Stripe’s No Mind Left Behind project. The goal of the project is to “foster academic excellence and personal development for youth, specifically focusing on young people, ages three to eighteen,” said Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dianne Ashton-Sm…

Located in the tough neighbourhood of South St. Andrew, Rose Town has faced its share of challenges for decades such as poverty, unemployment and violent crime. Today, good things are happening in the community. One such is a construction internship programme for young men and women, funded by the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation.The fo…

The Jeffrey Town Education Association based in Toronto, Canada, is making its mark in the St Mary community. Patrick Buchanan, the president and one of the founders of the association, notes that both students and teachers at the all-age school and residents of the community get support from the body.On September 6, 1998, a fire destroyed the Jeff…

The Sagicor Foundation is continuing to pump millions of dollars into Jamaica’s early childhood education sector.It has just spent in excess of $20 million to upgrade three schools in St Catherine, St James and Westmoreland, massively transforming the learning environment of hundreds of children between three and five years old.“It is a growing fam…