BELMONT, Westmoreland — A rotted, dilapidated board house with no doors was where Keith Wedderburn, his wife Sandra and their then two-week-old daughter Kendra once called home. They were later left homeless as their landlord gave them notice to vacate the premises and removed the doors. Twenty-nine years later, after establishing several businesses, Wedderburn has lifted himself out of the squalor of poverty and now owns his dream home.

Not only is Wedderburn a successful businessman, he has added author to his list of accolades with the recent launch of his book titled From Homeless to a Healing Haven: The rise of a thriving entrepreneur.

Wedderburn, owner of Bluefields Organic Farms Limited, Home of Haven View Villas & Spa, and Western Express Transportation Service, provides community tourism through several excursions for tourists and Jamaicans.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer after he launched his book, he spoke about how his adversities have made him into the man he is today.

“Immediately after the doors were removed from the rented property, we realised the importance of creating our own living accommodation to avoid such situations in the future,” said the 60-year-old who is from Westmoreland.

However, he said his situation was compounded by the unavailability of affordable land to start building his house.

“We eventually overcame this obstacle by utilising government-owned sections initially occupied by others and later, by purchasing our own lands. One of these properties is now home to Bluefields Organic Farm,” the businessman explained.

“It is always easy to move house when you have a clear relocation plan. Sadly, we could not do so because this violation was never anything we had envisioned,” Wedderburn said.

Homelessness is a “painful experience that is often dogged with humiliation”, he added.

Determined to change his mindset and become successful, Wedderburn sought greater awareness by immersing himself in inspirational books and DVDs.

“We realised that for things to change we needed to change ourselves,” Wedderburn told the
Sunday Observer.

He listed several books he and his wife read that transformed the way they looked at life and provided the tools for them to get out of the gutter.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad; Think and Grow Rich; The Power of Positive Thinking and The Secrets of The Millionaire Mind were just a few of the tomes Wedderburn said helped him become a beacon of hope in his community.

“One of my biggest motivators was Les Brown. His journey of overcoming challenging situations, including being given away by his mom, resonated with me. [My wife] Sandra and I would listen to his motivational videos consistently, drawing inspiration from his experiences,” he added.

Today he and his wife, who works as a massage therapist, have inspired their daughter Kendra to take the same route, and their son Kelon, who is an information cybersecurity analyst.

Wedderburn is an inspiration for many youngsters in his community.

“Keith had been one of the persons in my community who I have been looking up to since I was a child. He is very family-oriented and he’s of outstanding character,” educator Andre James told the Sunday Observer.

“What I admire most about him was that he never accepted his situation. He has been a fighter until now. He is one of the outstanding members in the community development; he is writing, using his very same story to inspire others,” James added.

He also admires how Wedderburn has ensured that his farm is completely organic and is using his experience there to educate others, including children.

“I am excited and very proud of him, especially where he is coming from. I am eager and excited to get my copy [of the book],” James said cheerfully.

Another young man in a neighbouring community said he, too, is motivated by the achievements of Wedderburn, who is also a justice of the peace.

“He has inspired a lot of youths like myself and I’m proud of him and would take a page out of his book. Growing up in a neighbouring community he has always been a man who is there for the children and for the youths,” said Rick Taylor.

Wedderburn’s best friend, Leroy Blake, spoke of his high level of motivation for the more than 40 years he has known him.

“He loves success and he is always striving for higher heights. No matter how difficult things might seem, he always seems to find a way out,” Blake said.

“What I admire about him most is his resilience. Growing up together, we’re both from humble surroundings; we never allowed that to set us back. We used what we had to improve ourselves. When we were in school we loved photography and we started practising that and buying a Kodak camera and then taking pictures and comparing,” Blake told the Sunday
Observer.

He said that though Wedderburn was not formally trained he went on to become a top photographer.

“I have read the book and one of the key aspects that I get from the book is that he talks about, in chapter one, the need to keep focussed. Sometimes things might happen that you never plan for but as long as you have a dream and a vision just keep focus,” his best friend stressed.

Wedderburn had some advice for youngsters: “Be prepared to think outside the box that others have designed for you. Regardless of your dream, it can be realised if you are willing to be innovative and committed to excellence. Start with ideas and imagination. It’s possible, no matter what.”