NewzWESTMORELAND, Jamaica — A vital lifeline for education, skills development, digital access and community support in Westmoreland has been restored, with the Y’Menettes (The Source Centre) in Savanna-la-Mar now ready to resume its full range of services following extensive damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. Westmoreland's only fully equipped, multifunctional community resource centre, it suffered significant damage when Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm last year. The hurricane completely destroyed the roof, leaving the building exposed to wind, rain and debris.
Internal partitions, electrical systems, flooring and programme rooms were also damaged, forcing the centre to suspend much of its regular activity. The restoration was made possible through a US$50,000 grant from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), administered by Project STAR (Social Transformation and Renewal) through the STAR Foundation. The project commenced in January this year, approximately three months after the hurricane, and has now been completed.
The scope included full roof repairs, internal reconstruction, installation of drywall, electrical rewiring, new air-conditioning units, fencing and painting. The work was carried out through a partnership involving Project STAR, the Y’Menettes and the Kingston Young Men's Christian Association (KYMCA), with each organisation playing an active role in coordinating and delivering the restoration. For Saffrey Brown, director of Project STAR, the restoration represents more than the rebuilding of a physical structure.
"The restoration of the Y’Menettes Centre is about restoring opportunity. This is a space where people come to learn, access technology, develop skills, build relationships and pursue economic opportunities. By helping to reconnect the resources and partnerships needed for the centre's restoration, Project STAR is supporting the community's own efforts to rebuild and move forward," she said.
Brown said the initiative is part of Project STAR's wider post-Hurricane Melissa recovery and rebuilding work in vulnerable communities. "Our role is to facilitate and connect, but the strength of this recovery has come from the commitment of community institutions such as the Y’Menettes and KYMCA. This centre is an important part of the social and economic infrastructure of Savanna-la-Mar, and i…
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