Income While Living in Uncertainty

Tourism is Jamaica’s largest industry, and with the devastation Hurricane Melissa caused along the coast, many resorts remain closed. As a result, a significant number of people have been without work since November 2025, living month to month without knowing when or if their jobs will return.

One family in Tower Hill has been facing this very uncertainty. Beneath their home sat several rooms and a bathroom space that have been untouched for years. During our April 2026 trip, our carpenter saw possibility where others saw storage.  He envisioned moving the simple kitchen setup, just cabinets and a sink, into the small room beside the bathroom, transforming it into a functional kitchen.  Then, by adding a wall in the larger room, he could create both a bedroom and a living area.

While the construction team worked, the girls jumped in to help the homeowner finish sewing cushions for a neighbor so the rooms could be cleared of fabric, a large cutting table, and multiple sewing machines.  Those materials and machines were move to the future community center, where they will one day help teach women a trade.  The cutting table was even repurposed-cut down and rebuilt into a sturdy bed frame.

Within a week the major work was complete.  Only minor repairs remained and the once-unused space had been transformed into a clean, functional rental unit. The timing could not have been more needed with so many homes damaged and destroyed. This apartment is now serving as a safe temporary home for another family in crisis.

A small investment in repairs is creating stability for one family and shelter for another.  It’s a simple, meaningful way to bring hope in a time of uncertainty, and a beautiful reminder of what can happen when people come together with willing hands and open hearts.