Rose Town blooms as internship initiative takes root

Impacting Jamaica

Located in the tough neighbourhood of South St. Andrew, Rose Town has faced its share of challenges for decades such as poverty, unemployment and violent crime. Today, good things are happening in the community. One such is a construction internship programme for young men and women, funded by the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation. The foundation is partnering with the Rose Town Foundation to execute the project, and its Executive Director Ruth Jankee is excited. “It’s a pleasure to find a partner that you see eye-to-eye with,” she declared. She said the project is already reaping results in the community and building relationships. “This project is about empowering community members and the community at large,” she said. Ms. Jankee is pleased with the structure and focus of the Gore Foundation initiative. “It’s not, oh we are sorry for these poor people, let’s just give them hand-outs,” she explained. “It is, we want to help empower and build community and community members so that they can build themselves.” In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas, Ms. Jankee speaks about the construction internship programme sponsored by the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation that is sparking hope, fostering friendships and breaking down barriers to a better future for the residents of Rose Town.