ST JAMES, Jamaica — Jamaica Women of Florida’s (JWOF) efforts to resume construction on the $40-million Melody House Girls Home transition facility was boosted on Friday by a $1-million donation from S Hotel.

The funds will be added to the US$12,500 JWOF contributed towards the project last year. The facility will make it easier for residents of Melody House Girls Home in St James to ease their way into adult life. Ground was broken in 2019 but work stalled because of lack of funds.

“The project to build the transition home is essential because it provides the next step for the girls as they turn 18 and age out of the main facility; many of [them] may not have families to turn to,” said JWOF President Aisha Rainford as she thanked contributors. “The transition home will be a space where they can gain the independence, skills, and confidence needed to thrive on their own and successfully navigate adulthood,” she added.

General manager of S Hotel Montego Bay, Ann-Marie Goffe-Pryce — speaking on behalf of S Hotel Jamaica CEO Christopher Issa — explained that Friday’s donation is aligned with the hotel’s commitment to making a positive impact on the local community.

“For the first time in Montego Bay, young ladies who are wards of the State and who are now at the age of 18 will have a much-needed transition home that will provide the required support for them to become fully independent before going out on their own. We believe in the potential of every girl who will walk through the doors of this facility,” she said.

“As we participate in the restart of this project today we believe we are not just constructing a building — we are building hope, resilience, and opportunities for these deserving young women. We are empowering girls to overcome adversity and thrive,” Goffe-Pryce added.

MARCAM Builders, which reimagined the project, is among those making it possible.

“MARCAM Builders Limited, a subsidiary of the MARCAM Construction Group, is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the celebration of Melody House. We will continue to use our expertise to help the Jamaican Women of Florida, Melody House and [the] extended team with the structural expansion of the transition home for the ongoing empowerment of young girls for the next step,” said company representative Samuel McKenzie.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon also shared that local authorities are committed to helping in any way possible.

“Whatever is needed of us at the St James Municipal Corporation to accelerate the project, please feel free to send a message to the mayor’s office and I will do as best as possible to help you get it over the hurdle,” he assured.

Educator Allison Smith Hinds, a former resident of Melody House for Girls, spoke of how the facility shaped her life.

“Without Melody House, I don’t know where I would be. Melody House has impacted us in so many ways,” she stated.

According to one of the founders of Melody House Christine Dexter, the facility was established in 1979. It is a private, non-profit organisation located outside Montego Bay, and provides housing to girls who have been abandoned and/or abused. The home receives some funding from the Government of Jamaica, however, it is mostly supported by charitable donations.

—     Horace Hines