Why am I doing this project?

An open letter to those interested in helping with the Hayfield Accessibility Ramp Project.

My name is Joel and I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Hayfield, Jamaica from 2018-2020. I spent just under two years in Hayfield, until my service was cut short due to the pandemic. During my time in Jamaica, I really found an appreciation for the small Caribbean island with a big heart. Jamaicans are amazing people, and while I was down there I was treated with so much love and respect that I instantly felt at home within the community. Over a year has gone by since I last touched down pon the rock, and now it is time for me to go back to Jamaica.

The Hayfield Accessibility Ramp Project started about one year into my two year Peace Corps service. I worked with the teachers at Hayfield Primary and Infant School and the Hayfield CDC/JAS (the community development committee and farmers group in Hayfield) to create a project with the goal of building an accessibility ramp and other improvements for the school. The reason we chose this project is because there is a student at the school with disabilities who has difficulties getting up the stairs to get to the school. We also decided to add some improvements that the school needs, such as a safety fence around the play area and an improved playground for the children. In March of 2019 we turned in the project proposal as part of a Carib Cement grant competition. A few months later we were informed that our project didn't get selected and we weren't awarded any money for the project. The Hayfield Accessibility Ramp Project was put on a hold due to a lack of funds.

For the rest of my time in Jamaica and when I returned home to Idaho, this project has been on the back of my mind. On Christmas day 2020, while driving up to Tamarack with my brother, we started talking about Jamaica. The accessibility ramp at the school came up and we started coming up with ideas on how we could raise money ourselves to build the ramp. The conversation confirmed what I was thinking the whole time - I need to go back to Jamaica to finish this project. A few weeks later, I bought a flight to Jamaica.

I am excited to go back to Jamaica from August 19 to November 10. I will be spending my time in Hayfield, living with my host family and working on the Hayfield Accessibility Ramp Project. Over the last few months I have been communicating with the key partners to get everything lined up for this project. We will be working together to design the ramp, fundraise money, and then build it - all within the three months I will be down there. I am confident that we will be able to create a quality accessibility ramp for the students and community members in Hayfield.

I will be updating this website and the social media pages so that wherever you are in the world, you can be a part of the Hayfield Accessibility Ramp Project. Thank you for your interest in the project and make sure to subscribe with your email so that we can reach out to you when we are doing the fundraising campaign.