More Than 100 Women to Benefit from SDC Empowerment Fair

More than 100 women from vulnerable communities in Montego Bay, St. James, will benefit from a Women’s Empowerment and Opportunity Fair being hosted by the Social Development Commission (SDC) on Thursday, July 23, at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Targeting women between the ages of 17 and 35, the fair will provide job-readiness training, career guidance, mock interviews, counselling and motivational sessions on self-love and self-care. Participants will also engage with government
agencies, financial institutions and prospective employers.

Executive Director, SDC, Omar Frith, said the initiative underscores the Commission’s commitment to investing in women as a means of building stronger communities.

“At the SDC, we recognise that sustainable national development begins with empowered people and resilient communities. When we invest in women, we strengthen families, stimulate local economic growth and create positive social change that benefits entire communities. This fair represents our commitment to providing women with practical opportunities, essential life skills and meaningful connections that will support their long-term personal and economic advancement,” said Mr. Frith.

He further informed that the fair was developed following a needs assessment conducted by the SDC after the Flanker Netball Competition earlier this year.

“Through sustained engagement with participants, the Commission identified critical challenges affecting young women, including unemployment, limited access to skills training, mental health concerns, inadequate social support, housing challenges and barriers to employment,” said Mr. Frith.

He emphasised that collaboration among public and private-sector partners is central to the fair’s success.

“No single organisation can address the complex social and economic challenges facing our communities. The strength of this initiative lies in the collaboration between government agencies, private-sector organisations and community stakeholders, all working towards a common goal of empowering women,” said Mr. Frith.

“By bringing these partners together in one space, we are creating pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, education, financial inclusion and psychosocial support that can have a lasting impact on the lives of participants and, by extension, the
communities they call home,” he continued.

Representatives from HEART/NSTA Trust, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, JN Bank, Scotiabank and several other private-sector organisations will participate in the fair.

The Women’s Empowerment and Opportunity Fair is being coordinated by the SDC St. James Parish Office, in collaboration with the Flanker Community Development Committee, MBJ Airports Limited, Sandals International, the St. James Municipal
Corporation and other public and private-sector partners.

By Shanna K. Salmon

Do you have a story idea you would like to share with us? Email us at [email protected] or [email protected].