Belmont Relief Updated (01/23/2026) — From Recovery to Regeneration

Over the past several weeks, this campaign has helped us respond to the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Melissa — supporting families in Belmont and Tower Hill with solar lights, solar-powered batteries, charging ports, and emergency supplies while the national power grid remains down. Now, we are preparing to enter the next phase of this work — one focused not just on relief, but on long-term resilience, education, and sustainable rebuilding.

In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa devastated western Jamaica, including Belmont and Tower Hill in St. James. Entire communities were severely damaged. My family’s ancestral home — where my mother grew up and where generations of our family have lived — was completely destroyed. Surrounding homes suffered major structural damage, and many residents remain in structurally damaged homes.While this loss has been deeply personal, it has also opened the door to rebuild differently.

The Vision: Earthship Jamaica Rebuild & Training Pilot

We are now working toward rebuilding my ancestral home as a modest two-bedroom Earthship — a fully off-grid, hurricane-resistant structure designed not only as a home, but as Jamaica’s Earthship demonstration and training site. This pilot project is being developed in partnership with Earthship Biotecture and their nonprofit arm, Biotecture Planet Earth, who have led post-disaster rebuilding and training efforts across the world.

The goal is to:

1) Rebuild the family home using Earthship principles — solar power, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and natural thermal cooling.

2) Create a hands-on training site where local builders, youth, and community members can learn disaster-resilient construction techniques.

3) Demonstrate a scalable housing model that can be replicated across Jamaica’s hurricane-vulnerable communities.

4) Turn storm debris and recycled materials into part of the solution — reducing waste while strengthening structures.

️ How This Will Work:

The rebuild will happen in phases, starting with a two-week Earthship-led training build for the first bedroom module. Local builders and volunteers will be trained on all techniques, then continue construction independently. The Earthship team will return to complete final systems and ensure safety, quality, and performance standards. This approach allows skills and knowledge to stay in the community — not just the building.

What This Campaign Supports Now

As we transition into this next phase, fundraising will help support:

1) Local materials and construction costs (cement, rebar, roofing, solar components)

2) Site preparation, logistics, and transport

3) Training support for local participants

Laying the groundwork for future community replications

Earthship Biotecture’s nonprofit is also fundraising to covering their design, travel, and training oversight costs — making this an exceptionally high-impact opportunity for community-led rebuilding.

This journey began with emergency relief. It is now evolving into something bigger: a living model of resilience, education, and self-sufficiency — rooted in ancestral land and built for future generations.

Thank you for standing with us through every phase of this work. Your support continues to make what once felt impossible feel achievable.

With gratitude and purpose,

Jhana Grant

Belmont Relief & Regenerative Rebuild Initiative

Please continue to donate and share as we move from recovery to regeneration.