NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022 8 JAMAICA T 60: TR LAWNY jamaica at Paul H. Williams/Gleaner Writer EMBEDDEDWITHIN the concept of political Independencewhere former colonies are free from the yoke of imperialism, and are responsible for their own political, social and economic development is the idea of personal independence. People have to find ways andmeans to eke out a living and take care of their personal well-being and that of their families. Here, in Jamaica, it is very difficult for hundreds of people to maintain that status and spirit of individual independence for a multiplicity of reasons, including the scarcity of employment opportunities, especially in the rural areas where subsistence and small-scale commercial farming is the main way in which to earn an income. And, more and more farming is not regarded as an income-earner of choice among the youths. As such, they are heavily dependent on their relatives, friends, associates, and social services for their day-to-day survival. One organisation that is trying to eradicate this high level of dependence, whether deliberately or not, is the SouthEast Cockpit Country Local ForestManagement Committee Benevolent Society in Trelawny (SECCLFMCBS). The SECCLFMCBS was established through the Forestry Department since 2007. As protectors of the forest reserves they collaborate with RADA, the Social Development Commission, and other stakeholders to engage in capacity-building activities with community members. According to Arlette Duncan-Fullerton, vicechair, their main purpose is “to assist community members with sustainable livelihood activities”, such as the setting up of apiaries, art and craft production, and training in entrepreneurship and agro-forestry. They meet in Troy, perhaps Trelawny’s most southern village, at a facility where they produce tote bags, cushion, pillows, baskets, etc. Theirmandate is to improve the lot of communitymembers.Theprojects are funded through the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and the Canadian Funds For Local Initiatives. There are three such groups in Trelawny, one in Sawyers, one in the north Cockpit, and of course, SECCLFMCBS. DuncanFullerton’s society is particularly interested in getting the many youths-at-risk in the area to grasp the training opportunities it facilitates. They even beg them to be involved, as some of them have absolutely nothing to earn a living from, and farming is not an option. She said they want “to develop a programmewherewe canhelp them tobecome entrepreneurs in farming, craft productionand bee-rearing”. Gregory Fullerton is one of the few males in the group, and one of his objectives is to enhance the environment, and to push for alternative employment outside of farming. He said he is big on that. He also wants the area to be an ecotourism destination because of the greenery and the history of the place. Involvement in what the benevolent societydoes, heargued, is analternative to illegal activities, such as scamming. The treasurer, Alda-EuniceMcNish, oneof the eldestmembers, relocated to the area fromKingston in2004, she said, because she wanted to help young people in the community, and things have looking good so far. In addition to being keeper of the treasury, she is a machine operator, and trains participants to make bags and cushions. The society’s biggest need is to secure funding to continue production of items, and the training of communitymembers. Somemore machines, materials, greater cash flow, etc., arealsowelcome. Under the Benevolent Society theDepartment of Cooperatives hadmade sure that they are legally registered so that they can benefit from funding opportunities. “It all comes down to the funding for the production that we have here,” Duncan-Fullerton said. She is also appealing to housewives to get out and get involved. It’s about learning a skill or two, becoming an entrepreneur, and earning their own money. Thus, the South East Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee Benevolent Society is putting people on the path to personal independence. Trelawny benevolent societies creating paths to independence Delroy Williams makes a basket during one of the sessions of the South East Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee Benevolent Society. NICHOLAS NUNES/PHOTOGRAPHER
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