TWO central Kingston residents are expressing adoration for Project STAR, highlighting that they believe the initiative has the power to transform the lives of the marginalised.

Due to their confidence that it is working and will continue to positively impact residents in some of the most vulnerable communities across the island, they have issued appeals to Jamaicans to buy in to the project.

Project STAR is a social and economic development initiative created by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). Executors of the project plan to raise $2 billion via various means in order to transform these vulnerable communities across Jamaica. Private sector and Diaspora funding form part of the financing mechanism of the programme; however, to allow Jamaicans the opportunity of owning a direct stake in the transformation of their communities, the project will be listed on the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE).

Mario Laws, a resident of Parade Gardens in central Kingston, has found hope in the programme. In the past, according to him, many entities have approached citizens in vulnerable communities with only promises that are never fulfilled. However, he senses that this time around only success and positivity will be bred through the programme introduced to him by a friend.

According to Laws, the programme has placed more than 60 young people from central Kingston in jobs and has been imparting important knowledge to them that will empower them to want to lead progressive and successful lives. Laws, who runs a cooking business on weekends, is currently waiting on the programme to place him in a steady job through which his life can experience real growth.

“People always seh dem a guh do something, and a just promises. I told my friend that I hope it was not hocus pocus. He is a man of him word so I got involved. They had some employment initiative but, even before the employment, they came around and asked the youth what they needed to change. People gave their responses and still we never knew what it would be. They eventually had a big fun day last year at the Breezy Castle mini stadium and everybody came together and played football and there was just joy. From there, things started moving forward.

“They brought in a programme so for people who never had NIS or TRN, they made those services available; then they came with the employment programme. They teach you how to prepare for a job and how to behave in the work environment. They have something called Suited for Success and they teach you to be properly groomed — because first impressions last. Over 60 residents from Parade Gardens and Rose Gardens have been placed in jobs. Others, including myself, should be placed by the end of this month. Currently they are preparing another set of community members to try and give them employment. Recently, Red Stripe said they want some new workers to drive forklifts. I see the programme yielding success so far. They have even granted breakfast programmes to some basic schools in the area. Project STAR is really an opportunity to open doors for us. They are like a bridge to transformation,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

As he awaits calls from two potential employers Laws implored Jamaicans to buy in to the project to make the impact far-reaching.

“I embrace it being listed on the JSSE because in everything you are going to need funding and you are going to need sponsors. I am grateful for what they are doing for us. They are providing a lot of employment and they even went as far as taking a bunch of us to Football Factory in Barbican. Many of the youth have never been so far outside of their community. On Sundays, the programme gives the youth footballs and refreshments and stuff like that. Project STAR is here for today and tomorrow. They are going to be with us for a four- to five-year period and then they are going to leave us to be independent. They are not here to really give us handouts but to empower us as young men and women. With employment, we can be more positive.”

Based on the progress that Aviell Royse has seen Project STAR making, he wants a piece of the pie. Currently the 33-year-old is unemployed and yearning for a stable job but he is confident that the programme will provide one for him. According to Royse, the more engaged youth are in positive initiatives, the more deadly wars in traditionally violent communities will cease.

“This is a great thing for the community and myself. We are seeking betterment overall. Not every youth in the garrison wants to be a bad man. We want to be able to help the community. Couple months now me nuh work so I am really interested in getting something to do. Di place is under a community war. Majority of the youth are not in the war but one apple spoils the bunch and all of us get branded. We have good youth here who need assistance. Youth will be able to occupy themselves with positive things. When you don’t have anything to occupy your time you find foolishness to do and meet up with friends who also have nothing to do.”

Julian Mair, chairman of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, announced last week during a press conference at the Office of the Police Commissioner in St Andrew, that by June 22 the Project STAR initial public offering (IPO) will become available to the public. According to Mair, “The ambitious nature of this project means that we can make a difference in the trajectory of Jamaica.

“We want people to be impacted, but we want every shareholder to be impacted by the power of us working together to invest in companies that get listed. We know that when we work together, and put in our money, and we buy shares in an IPO the trajectory of those companies often changes — and the change is positive [as] your profitability grows and your employment grows. Everybody will realise that we should expand the programme throughout the rest of the country.

“We are extremely proud that the management and team would have seen it fit to support the initiative and put in place infrastructure to make a social IPO possible. We have a $100-million target to be raised from the social IPO and we believe firmly that this target will be achieved. We have gotten the support of the Jamaica Securities Dealers Association and the direct support of co-brokers to the project. We have on board NCB Capital Markets, Sagicor, Mayberry, Barita, JMMB, Scotia. We have on board the banker’s association and the credit unions. We thank all our partners on this collaborative approach.”