TRAINING and manufacturing activities are set to expand at St Catherine-based New Horizons Christian Outreach Ministries, following the addition of a high-tech computer numerical control (CNC) machine to its production line.

The community-based philanthropic organisation made the purchase through a $1-million grant won in the Desnoes & Geddes (D&G) Foundation’s ‘6 for 60’ competition last year. The team is excited to take its glass recycling operation to the next level.

“Previously, we had to do much of our work by hand; we used manual grinders, files, and oxy fuel torches to make different products. We can [now] reduce the time spent on hand cutting using the CNC machine. Cutting more complex parts for moulds to build pots and other items has become much easier,” said Executive Director Michael Barnett as he explained the advantages of the new machinery.

Over the last two decades New Horizon has championed social transformation in the Golden Acres community and surrounding areas, through faith-based interventions and providing skills training and employment opportunities to unattached youth.

In recent times environmental conservation has been at the forefront of its initiatives, experimenting with using recycled glass, metal, and other materials to make practical items like fence posts, concrete tiles, and decorative items.

“This 6 for 60 win has given us a big leap to educate trainees on the opportunities they can get, once trained in the field. The people involved in the programme have been very excited about learning something new, meeting new people, visiting new places, and expanding their skill set, so we have been taking the opportunity to re-engage young people in the community after COVID,” added Programme Administrator Sophia Barnett.

Barnett was full of hope as she noted that the team’s next step is to forge more partnerships so as to expand the programme and offer training to larger quantities of unattached youth.

She continued, “The only thing I can say to the D&G Foundation is to ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, and do more.’ I think it’s fantastic that they’ve taken this initiative. I’m glad they did it for Jamaica 60 and I hope they will continue and grow from strength to strength.”

D&G Foundation accountant Dennis Beckford also had his say:

“It gives a real sense of joy and fulfilment to witness the strides made by the different community groups who won the 6 for 60 competition. In the case of New Horizon we have seen where the grant has led to concrete results and tangible benefits for the recipients as they have been able to buy a machine which will undoubtedly bolster their operations. This is a testament to the initiative’s success, and we couldn’t be prouder of all the beneficiaries who are making worthwhile contributions to community development islandwide.”

New Horizons Christian Outreach Ministries is one of six community-based philanthropic organisations awarded $1 million each, in 2023, towards their development initiatives in the Desnoes and Geddes 6 for 60 competition, which is designed to provide critical support to two outstanding community development initiatives, from each county, for projects in the areas of sport, environmental conservation, education, or culture.

The other winning initiatives were the Dumfries Moves project in St James and the Thornton Community Club project in St Elizabeth, from the county of Cornwall; the Bucknor Homework and Community Centre in Middlesex; and The University of the West Indies’ Social Work Training and Research Centre and the Eastwood Gardens Youth for Progress Club in Surrey.