Rural School Expects to Yield Millions from Greenhouse Project

On Teacher’s Day, May 7, 2014, New Forest Primary, Junior High and Infant School officially opened its new greenhouse. The greenhouse, which is located on school property, is expected to expand the school’s ability to generate its own income while ensuring that students are exposed to advances in agriculture practices, technology and techniques. It is estimated that 325 students in grades 7 through 9 will directly participate in the operation of the greenhouse each year through the school’s agriculture programme. Additionally, the revenues from the produce, which includes cherry-tomatoes and sweet peppers, will help to offset the cost of the school’s feeding programme. This programme benefits the entire school population of 700 students. “The vision of Digicel Foundation in partnering with us on this facility is highly commendable,” remarked Conrod Bent, Vice-Principal of New Forest Primary, Junior High and Infant. “This greenhouse will empower us to be more self-reliant and cater to the needs of our students and the wider community. If properly managed, the earnings from the greenhouse’s yield can be in the range of millions per annum.” The greenhouse at New Forest is an example of the type of sustainable community project that the Digicel Foundation supports across the island. Kerry-Jo Lyn, Senior Programme Manager at the Foundation, emphasised this point when saying, “The Digicel Foundation is very proud to be a partner in this venture… The Foundation’s investment in community development over the last few years has focused on supporting the efforts of schools like New Forest in their efforts to become sustainable, to earn their own income, so that they can help and teach others.” She continued, “It is a critical time for our country, we must do what we can to generate employment, find ways to be innovative, become more self-reliant, share our experiences and learn from those we can.” Keynote speaker at the opening, The Honourable Noel Arscott, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, echoed this sentiment and stressed the importance of entrepreneurship in poverty reduction, saying, “Entrepreneurship is not the easiest venture to start or maintain, but we have to foster an entrepreneurial culture. Individuals must learn to tap into the local resources available to them so as to create jobs and help in the reduction of poverty… We must raise ourselves to the highest standards and become a part of the solution.”