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Our Story: Who We Are and Where We’re From
We are Grace to Grow Mentorship and Training, a team dedicated to fostering leadership and financial independence in women in Jamaica, with reach across the Caribbean and beyond. We are currently based in St Catherine, Jamaica, but our focus is now urgently centred on the resilient people of Parottee, a rural community in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.
The Crisis: Hurricane Melissa’s Devastation
The effects of Hurricane Melissa have been catastrophic, tearing apart homes, livelihoods, and the basic infrastructure of Parottee. While the material damage is visible, the deeper emotional and financial toll on the adult women who anchor these families is immense. Recovery requires more than just rebuilding walls; it requires rebuilding inner strength and economic stability.
Our Partnership: Building on a Foundation of Trust
We are not starting from scratch. We have partnered with established local groups who have already been on the ground, building trust and providing critical aid.
Our Partners include:
- Young Women and Men of Purpose: A critical local entity providing community engagement and support.
- Bridgette B. Barrett and her Network: A dedicated individual who co-opted her network to drive the immediate relief efforts.
The incredible work already completed by this coalition includes:
- Clearing debris from himes.
- Making roadways safe for passage.
- Construction of homes to replace destroyed ones.
- Stocking the community shop and distributing essential shop vouchers.
- Offering immediate mental health support and massage therapy.
- Distributing sanitation items, clothing, and black water tanks.
- Running an “Education Corner” for children to provide normalcy.
- Conducting spiritually uplifting sessions.
Our Relationship: Grace to Grow has joined this powerful coalition to provide the crucial next phase of support: strategic, long-term financial and emotional mentorship. We are pivoting the intervention from emergency relief to sustainable empowerment.
The Solution: The 12-Week Mobile Mentorship Program
Your donation will directly fund our 12-Week Parottee Resilience & Empowerment Track for 25 adult women. Delivered once per week on a mobile basis right in the community, this program is designed to integrate healing with practical skills.
The curriculum is focused on:
- Trauma-Informed Healing: Prioritising emotional wellness and coping strategies to manage post-disaster stress.
- Financial Stability: Teaching emergency budgeting, resource leveraging, and disaster savings.
- Resilient Entrepreneurship: Identifying and launching micro-businesses that support the reconstruction efforts (e.g., catering for work crews, small-scale services).
- Leadership and Goal Re-setting: Rebuilding confidence and setting achievable goals for a new, stable future.
How Your Funds Will Be Specifically Spent
We are committed to full transparency. Our total fundraising goal is approximately $13,000 USD (JMD 2,013,000), which covers the entire 12-week operation. Every dollar donated will be allocated as follows:
1. Participant Support (7,200)
- This category ensures the women can attend sessions without worrying about basic needs or family care, maximising their focus and commitment over 12 weeks.
- Meals and Refreshments: Providing one nutritious meal per session to address food insecurity and encourage attendance.
- Participant Incentives: A small allowance to offset transportation costs and compensate participants for the opportunity cost of their time during reconstruction efforts.
- Childcare Services Stipends: Paying 2 local staff to provide safe, consistent care (integrated with the existing "Education Corner") so mothers can focus entirely on the learning modules.
2. Personnel and Mobile Logistics ($4,500)
- These costs cover the operational expenses required to run a mobile program in a remote, post-disaster setting.
- Lead Facilitator and Specialised Expert Stipends: Covers payment for the lead coordinator and specialised fees for expert Trauma Counsellors and Financial/Business Coaches.
- Travel: 50% of cost of bus to transport volunteers for the 12 trips to the remote Parottee community.
3. Sustainability and Growth ($800)
- This is a direct investment in the women's financial future, ensuring the program's impact lasts long after the final session.
- Micro-Enterprise Seed Grants: Funds for 5 selected women to receive small start-up grants to launch the micro-businesses they develop in the program.
- Local Mentor Stipends: Stipends for 3 local partners to provide 3 months of crucial post-program peer-to-peer mentorship and accountability.
4. Curriculum and Materials ($500)
- These are the physical resources necessary for deep, effective learning.
- Printed Workbooks & Journals: Provides durable, physical materials for learning, budgeting, and journaling, essential given unreliable local power and internet access.
- Vision Board Supplies: Materials for the goal-setting and personal re-visioning sessions.
Help Us Bridge the Gap
The women of Parottee have lost so much, but not their spirit. By supporting the Grace to Grow Mentorship Program, you are not just funding a training session; you are investing in the long-term emotional and economic recovery of an entire community.
Please donate today and share our story. Let's help these resilient women move from surviving the storm to sustainably thriving.
Organizer
