The Rotary Club of Kingston recently completed renovation of 21 homes at Cheshire Village in St Andrew under a project that club president Karsten Johnson said will make life easier for residents.

Cheshire Village was constructed in the 1970s to house persons with disabilities, most of whom received treatment at Mona Rehabilitation Centre, the only facility of its kind in the Caribbean at the time.

The club had raised $3.5 million for the project through a pre-Valentine’s Day party, an annual golf tournament, and a donation from Rotary Club of Naples in North Florida.

The project, which began in early 2022, had a major objective to provide residents with improved functionality and independence in accordance with the Jamaica Disabilities Act, 2014.

Noting that the Act was enacted on February 14, 2022 and mandates the provision of adequate housing and accommodation for persons with disabilities, Johnson said, “After meeting with the residents, we decided to embark on the following projects: the installation of solar street lamps to improve safety and visibility for residents and visitors; the changing and raising of toilets and the installation of support bars along the walls of each to improve independent access and functionality in the restrooms; and the installation, lowering and repairs to kitchen sinks and cupboards to enhance accessibility to these areas”.

He said the club worked assiduously to ensure that the projects were executed on time and on budget and that the street lights were installed to have minimal impact on the environment and on the pockets of the residents of the community “which is why we opted for solar-powered lights”.

Estella Campbell, vice-president of Cheshire Village Citizens’ Association, said the residents are thrilled about the project and expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to the club and its partners for the initiative.

In addition to the funds donated by the club, it received “generous donations” from local businesses and individuals who wanted to support the project.

“We are grateful for the support of the Kingston community, which enabled us to complete this important project,” said Johnson. “It was very important for this project to be completed to improve the lives of persons living with disabilities. We have improved the facilities for the residents of Cheshire Village and my hope is that, after all the work that the Rotary Club of Kingston has accomplished this year, corporate Jamaica will build on what has been done and continue serving the community with further improvement and funding,” he said.