ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica—The Goshen Postal Agency in St Elizabeth is once again serving the community after a dedicated team of residents, spearheaded by the Goshen Community Development Committee (CDC), successfully restored the facility, which was damaged by Hurricane Beryl.

The category four hurricane, which wreaked havoc in the southern parts of the island last year, severely damaged the roof of the postal agency, forcing its closure and the relocation of its operations to the Pepper and Santa Cruz post offices.

The restoration, completed and officially reopened on July 7, has brought back vital services to the rural St Elizabeth community, particularly for the nearly 400 beneficiaries of the Government’s Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), who rely on the facility for the distribution of their benefits.

“Everybody’s excited. A lot of people didn’t know it would happen,” said Desmond Williams, president of both the Goshen CDC and the Santa Cruz JN Circle. “But I had confidence in my team. We knew we had to get our PA (postal agency) back on track.”

Williams explained that the Goshen CDC played a central role in galvanising the community around the restoration effort. Through regular meetings and outreach, residents at home and abroad were mobilised to contribute resources and volunteer their time.

But the journey was not without challenges.

“Getting donations was very, very slow,” Williams admitted. “It was difficult getting people on board at first, but we persevered.”

Support eventually came from all corners.

“We received assistance from the JN Foundation, which gave us furniture for the building and monetary support,” Williams said. The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) also lent support, and several individuals in the diaspora contributed.

“One dollar from each person went a long way,” Williams said, adding that even those without financial means found ways to help.

Hyacinth Greaves, a resident of Goshen for more than 20 years, was ecstatic about the reopening.

“It is a tremendous relief. We missed it (the postal agency) a lot. It was difficult going up to Pepper, and now that our own postal agency is open, we are delighted with the help that we received. It is absolutely beautiful,” she said.

The restored postal agency is more than a building; it’s a symbol of resilience and unity, Williams emphasised.

“This project shows the power of oneness. It proves that when community groups come together, outside of the norm, anything is possible,” he said.

Williams expressed deep gratitude to every individual and organisation that contributed, noting that while JN Foundation and RADA were the only formal groups involved, the majority of the work came from the people of Goshen and their extended community abroad.

“I can’t say enough how grateful I am. I passed by the building just now and said to myself, ‘It really happened,’” he said.

With the Goshen postal agency now fully operational, residents no longer have to travel long distances to access postal services or PATH distributions, and the community has a renewed sense of purpose and pride.

Hakeem Atkinson, member relations supervisor at the Jamaica National Group, praised the community’s initiative.

“We were deeply moved by the determination of the Goshen CDC to restore such an important institution,” he said. “Its projects like these that demonstrate the power of people working together for the common good. We are proud to have played a part in this community-led success story.”

Recognising the importance of the communal space for the community, Atkinson said that the JN Group, through the JN Foundation, launched the ‘I Support Jamaica Fund’ shortly after the passage of the hurricane to help with its restoration and strengthen the community in the aftermath of the hurricane.