HEART trainees repair homes damaged by Hurricane Beryl

Last Friday, the HEART/NSTA Trust handed over newly renovated homes to two families in St Elizabeth, following the ravaging effects of Hurricane Beryl last July.

Dr Taneisha Ingleton, the entity's managing director, told JIS News that repairs on a third home are under way. The initiative forms part of HEART's National Impact Projects, which aim to improve learning and residential facilities that cater to persons with disabilities, as well as community spaces. On seeing the impact of Hurricane Beryl, the focus of the projects was shifted to support vulnerable Jamaicans. More than 13,500 homes islandwide were damaged during Beryl's passage.

"We visited and we did our own assessment, and we found that we could not assist everyone, but through our assessment, determined the families most in need of our services," she said. The houses were handed over to Clare Ebanks of Flagaman and Hyacinth Lowe, who resides in Queensbury.

"For the home of Ms Ebanks, the work done by the HEART trainees and the HEART instructors included: extraction of derelict materials and infrastructure; installation of roof frames and ridges; installation of the back sieve; installation of roofing material; installation of ceiling; painting activities, both internal and external to the unit; replacement of doors and locks; supply and installation of windows, [and] bathroom fixtures; plumbing repairs; electrical repairs; renewable energy power supply; refurbishing of the kitchen cupboards; and refurbishing of furniture. We also included some decorative items to really add to the aesthetics of the space," Ingleton detailed. She explained that the installation of solar panels was aimed at reducing Ebanks' electricity costs.

"These are some of the things that we do at HEART. It's really TVET at work - knowledge application - which has resulted in this really beautiful and comfortable home space for Ms Ebanks who lost almost everything in the hurricane," Ingleton said.

She pointed out that the project serves as a powerful example of how HEART can effectively integrate social responsibility into its training programmes, creating a win-win situation for both trainees and communities.