Downtown Kingston, popularly known as the jewel of Jamaica’s crown, has drastically shifted from this narrative over the past years due to exceedingly high levels of crime and violence, coupled with poor living conditions in most inner-city communities.

Notwithstanding, the area has managed to clutch its cultural identity, and continue to progress outside of the stereotype. With the help of determined residents and one of the Supreme Ventures Foundation Heroes’ finalists, Life Yard, a social enterprise initiative, downtown Kingston is alive with promise. The group of young men — Corey Jackson, Romaine Allen and Danija Taylor — believed it was of paramount importance for them to organise an arts programme on Fleet Street. The project, a child-friendly environment, allows residents a free space to engage in a myriad of creative and recreational activities.

According to Jackson, co-founder, and director at Life Yard, “In 2014, there was a lady by the name of Mariana Ferraz who had the vision to bring a change through art. We gave her a space at 41 Fleet Street and she collaborated with a group of Edna Manley students from the visual arts department; They came with their team, ideas, and vision and they sat with members of the community, mainly the children.”

He stressed the need for the group to liaise with members of the community, especially the children who would frequently socialise amongst themselves outside, throughout the day. The location was ideal to pioneer this initiative centred on encouraging and educating children from the troubled communities surrounding Life Yard.

“That was the first phase of the project that helped to bring Life Yard to the universe, Jamaica, and the people at large. After the second year, we began the second phase of the project, and then came the official birth of Life Yard, a registered, licensed, and functional group. We are also registered members within the TPDco (Tourism Product Development Company) format of a tour guide; The murals that you see in and around our community are a spin-off, recreational activity, and income generators for our community,” explained co-founder and director Allen.

A few members of the Life Yard group also participated in an outreach initiative by giving back to their alma mater, Holy Family Primary, by accentuating the school’s appearance through visual art. Additional help came from representatives of the US Embassy who came on board during the second phase to provide assistance during the Labour Day project at Holy Family Primary. They also helped to organise a workshop with Life Yard, which pervaded the permaculture association.

“From there we started our breakfast programme, where we provide meals for kids passing by for school and even adults who might want a cup of porridge or fritters, and it continued and was well received. We give thanks and the community members loved it,” said Jackson.

Life Yard’s vision and philanthropic attributes opened many doors for its members as the first of its kind in Jamaica to be nominated internationally for the Robert Nesta Marley Humanitarian Award.

“Life Yard has attracted over 72 different countries to visit in the downtown Kingston area, with the number of visitors standing at 6,500 and counting; Life Yard has been an upstanding organisation in the downtown area, reprimanding and replicating what it is to change culture through art and edutainment. As our tagline says, ‘merge the energy and merge the earth’,” ended Allen.