The Environmental Health Foundation (EHF) through its donor agencies and partners recently handed over approximately US$27,000 in COVID-19 aid and other relief supplies to nine communities in northern and north-west Clarendon.
The items included masks, gloves, antibacterial hand soaps, automatic dispensers, garbage bags, fire extinguishers, tarpaulins, rain coats, smoke detectors and mattresses.
The project, 'building resilience and adaptation to climate change while reducing disaster risk in Peckham and surrounding areas', was launched three years ago and involves several components with the key activities being aquaponics systems powered by solar energy installed in the communities, land management techniques, hazard mapping, and a series of trainings in those areas.
The project focused on Peckham, Tweedside, Top Alston, Sanguinetti, Johns Hall, Frankfield, Grantham, Morgan's Forest, and Silent Hill.
According to EHF's Project Manager Faradaine Edwards, although the scope of the project was relatively wide, it concentrated on a number of areas with the main goal being to contribute to national sustainable development within these areas through various climate change and disaster management initiatives.
“The first aspect of the project was budgeted at US$7,000 to procure supplies for our respective shelters but in implementing that we realised that was not adequate and so we reached out to our donors and they did not hesitate to provide an additional US$20,000 to procure additional supplies,” said Edwards.
Agricultural consultant Rose Simpson noted that the community members are grateful for the exposure to climate-smart agricultural practices and the risks that would have affected them.
Partners- Environmental Health Foundation: Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM); Social Development Commission (SDC); Clarendon Municipal Corporation (CMC); College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE); Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB); Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS); Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA); Hi-Pro Feeds; Nutramix; Food for the Poor (FFTP); Community Group