KINGSTON, Jamaica – Project STAR has intensified its post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts with the rollout of its Business Re-start Initiative, aimed at helping micro and small entrepreneurs rebuild their businesses and restore income in some of the country’s most severely affected communities.

The initiative has begun with grants to nine businesses operating in poultry farming, covering egg and chicken production, and the beauty industry, including barbers, hairstylists, nail technicians and eyelash technicians, as well as a cleaning supplies manufacturing and distribution enterprise.

The grants are being used to replace damaged equipment, replenish destroyed stock and restart daily operations.

Saffrey Brown, Project STAR’s director, explained that the organisation has shifted its focus from immediate relief to long-term economic recovery. “We’ve now moved our relief efforts to livelihoods and getting entrepreneurs back up and running,” she said. “Most of the entrepreneurs in these communities had their equipment, their stock, or both utterly destroyed as a result of Hurricane Melissa.”

The initiative is being rolled out with priority in the western parishes of Westmoreland, St Elizabeth and St James, which were among the hardest hit by the hurricane. In these areas, losses to micro-enterprises have been significant, leaving many already vulnerable communities economically fragile.

Brown said the programme will continue to adapt its approach as needs evolve across these western communities.

One of the first beneficiaries, Levario White, a barber from Salt Spring, St James, said the support has been critical to his recovery. “I am very grateful. This is my second grant, and it is a lot. I am excited, and this will push me forward to improving my business.”

Beauty service providers, whose livelihoods depend heavily on daily earnings, were also deeply affected. Amisha Wright, a hairdresser also from Salt Spring, St James, said the assistance came at a crucial time. “Hurricane Melissa had made it difficult to operate. With this new equipment and grant that I received, I am better equipped at home to do business. I will be able to attract more customers.”

“This is actually a dream [being a grant recipient] because I didn’t know that I would be here, and I am really appreciative,” she said, noting that she would like to go back to school to be certified and one day open a chain of salons.

For poultry farmer Nickoy Brady, of Salt Spring, St James, the storm brought his livelihood to a halt, destroying his fowl coop and killing many of his chickens. The losses left him struggling to recover, but support from Project STAR offered a lifeline, helping him to restart his business and regain stability.

“I was really down after the storm, but Project STAR helped me get back up,” Brady said. “Being able to restart has meant everything, it’s how I provide for my family.”

Project START noted that priority is being given to entrepreneurs who had already completed training under its entrepreneurship programme prior to Hurricane Melissa, particularly those involved in food security.

“We understand the need for communities to start being able to feed themselves again as quickly as possible,” said  Brown.

The organisation plans to expand the initiative over the coming weeks and months, supporting entrepreneurs on a rolling basis. “We’re going to be rolling out additional entrepreneurs every week, potentially even months, to get them back up and running,” she added.

Over the duration of the programme, Project STAR aims to provide direct support, including grants, tools, materials and mentorship, to at least 300 affected micro- and small entrepreneurs. The initiative also seeks to reactivate local value chains in food, craft, services and manufacturing, promote sustainable and disaster-resilient enterprise models, and build stronger, more resilient local business networks.

As the country moves further away from emergency relief,  Brown said its focus will remain firmly on income generation and long-term resilience. “We’re going to continue focusing on livelihoods, getting existing entrepreneurs back up and running and supporting new ones who may need alternative sources of income,” Brown said.

Through the Livelihood Re-start Initiative,  Brown hopes to help families rebuild their economic security while strengthening community resilience in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.