Thanks to the panelists and presenters at the recently held REAP conference that was held in Montego Bay.
The event was a partnership of the PIOJ Community Renewal Programme with Young Women of Purpose/Young Men of Purpose (YWOP/YMOP) under the theme, "Resilient by Design: Renew. Rebuild. Rise." Partners included Companies Office of Jamaica, VM Jamaica, Clear Choice and Home Foods.
The keynote address was delivered by by Nathaniel Peat, founder of The Safety Box.
The agenda also had awards honoring the latest cohort of REAPers and a series of dynamic panel discussions.
Our REAPers from our Planning Institute of Jamaica @thepioj Community Renewal Programme @communityrenewalprogramme were presented with certificates of participation and several REAPers were presented with special awards for their performance during the training component of the programme.
If you’ve ever started a business, you know it’s not easy, so help us celebrate excellence, commitment, growth and resilience in spite challenging circumstances.
#REAPConference2026 #REAPers #jamaicanentrepreneurs #ResilientByDesign #pioj
The 5th R.E.A.P. Entrepreneurship Conference and Awards Ceremony, held on March 26 in Montego Bay, was another demonstration of the Community Renewal Programme’s (CRP) commitment to social transformation through economic empowerment.
The partnership with Young Women/Men of Purpose (YWOP/YMOP) is a vehicle for building local resilience and sustainable livelihoods. This staging was under the theme, “Renew, Rebuild, and Rise.” The event was developed to encourage entrepreneurs who had already completed the WYOP/YMOP entrepreneurial programme to network with each other.
Keynote speaker Nathaniel Peat and workshop lead Shanta Monroe emphasized that entrepreneurship in our target communities requires more than just capital—it requires emotional regulation, leadership, and a growth mindset to turn their struggles into opportunities to build resilience for the long term.
Industry Integration: Experts from VM Group and the JBDC provided practical sessions on MSME development and digital marketing, ensuring our beneficiaries are competitive in a modern economy.
All communities have the opportunity to shape the future of Kingston and St Andrew. Thank you to community partners for the efforts which has resulted in the reduction of crime and also unemployment. SDC Parish Manager for Kingston and St Andrew Mr Wade Brown at the SDC Community Governance Conference held on March 25, 2025
Town Clerk Robert Hill delicately raises issues that prevent development happening in communities despite the adoption of sound policies and plans. He mentioned some of these as how persons are selected for posts, the shift in cultural norms, the ageing of the population and trends in isolationism. He was speaking at the SDC governance conference for the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew on March 25. @sdcjamaica@localgovja@moesyijamaica@ksamcorp
Agility is the ultimate entrepreneur superpower!
At the 5th R.E.A.P. Entrepreneurship Conference, we celebrated a group of young visionaries ready to tackle any challenge head-on.
Charmaine Brimm, PIOJ Technical Specialist, showed her enthusiasm and pride in seeing these entrepreneurs commit to a path of resilience and adaptability.
When we "Renew, Rebuild, and Rise," there’s no limit to what we can achieve.
To our REAPers: keep pivoting, keep growing, and keep building the Jamaica we want to see.
#PIOJ #REAP2026 #ResilientByDesign #EntrepreneurshipJamaica #CommunityRenewal #AgileMindset #JamaicaDevelopment
Former President of the KSA Youth Council Keino Brown says after 12 years in volunteerism he observes that there is no transitition process for the emergence of new leaders.
SDC Kingston and St Andrew Governance Conference /clip/UgkxozlgFYHOP3xqm9e2A-zuDHe-3KwFTRQR?si=pYIuLjfGCFS1fCb5
@sdcjamaica@LocalGovJa@moesyijamaica
Community intervention is not a meeting, it is a way of life. Senior Superintendent of Police Damion Manderson encourages flexibility in community building.
Minister of Local Government and Communuty Development Desmond McKenzie gives a background on the importance placed on communities to strengthen democracy and development. He was speaking at the governance conference of the @sdcjamaica and @thepioj
