White Horses, St Thomas – Several private and public sector groupings from this community recently participated in an investment forum held at the Upliftment Community Centre.

The forum was held to identify and prioritise investment opportunities in the parish’s various communities and to develop strategies and sources for attracting funding for the development of these efforts.

Participants included:

. business leaders, representatives from service clubs and youth organisations,

. the Social Development Commission (SDC), community groups, and

. government agencies.

The seminar was organised by Upliftment Jamaica in association with SDC St Thomas under the theme, “Developing our Communities through Dialogue and Action”.

Upliftment Jamaica provides opportunities for disadvantaged youth in White Horses through their participation in several activities including sports, education, cultural and community enrichment programmes. Upliftment was conceived about five years ago by Jamaican-born Gary Foster, a US resident who – along with five childhood friends, Kirk Green, Nigel Parris, Clayton Balliston and Rainford Grant – came up with a plan to give back to their community. Now in its fifth year, Upliftment continues to expand programmes to motivate, educate and provide for the people of White Horses.

Clayton Balliston, president of Upliftment Jamaica, told JIS News that each year the organisation provides free uniforms and books for 40 students attending the White Horses Basic School. He said there were many outreach programmes which catered for needy persons in and outside of the community.

“Eighty-five per cent of our funding for projects is from the United States, with the help of Gary Foster. So we put arms and hands together to make a better community,” he said, adding that a number of local fundraisers were held locally to assist in starting projects.

Balliston added that the organisation arranges sporting events such as football, volleyball, netball and a mini Olympic, which is held from June to August each year. He said that a multipurpose court, funded by ROSH Communications Limited in New York and recently established in White Horses, had been providing recreation for young persons in the community.

In addition, a computer centre donated by AOL Time Warner was opened at the centre. It currently has 27 computers, which provide free Internet access.