Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, a native of Fruitful Vale, Portland, has commended the sustainable economic opportunities and prospects for employment provided to the community members of Fruitful Vale through the Life Improvement Project of the Fruitful Vale Benevolent Society.

He was speaking at the opening of the newly renovated animal husbandry facilities of the project which will impact more than 165 low-income residents in the rural district of Fruitful Vale through the provision of jobs.

The governor general further commended the value of partnerships in supporting entrepreneurial initiatives. "The spirit of cooperation which is at the heart of this community is one of the factors that has attracted such widespread support from state agencies, and now the Digicel Foundation," he said.

Providing a revitalising boost to the Fruitful Vale Benevolent Society's farming programme, the animal husbandry facilities will reap success for budding entrepreneurs. The project has started with chicken rearing and will expand to animal rearing as it progresses.

"It has been quite successful to provide consistent employment for the persons involved in all stages of the project - from the construction process to the required cleaning and plucking of chickens," says Gavin Powell, project coordinator.

Powell also spoke to the tremendous benefit afforded to the schools and community organisations which benefit from produce being sold at a cheaper rate.

Giving back

The Life Improvement Project operates as a revolving programme where beneficiaries give back a portion of their earnings to the Benevolent Society to continue the programme.

Members of the Fruitful Vale Benevolent Society who are the managers of the project have reportedly sold $1.6 million worth of chicken since the start of the Life Improvement Project.

The Digicel Foundation partnered with the Fruitful Vale Benevolent Society with an investment of more than $2.5 million for the purchase of chicks, construction of a slaughterhouse along with the purchase of necessary equipment. The facilities are now equipped with a water storage tank, abattoir, electronic plucking machine, electronic water warmer, and a 20 foot cold-storage container.