Peace and Prosperity Project Sponsored by: United States Agency for International Development Report for the period MARCH 2001 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2004 Award No. 532-A-00-01-00116-00 Project No. 532-0007.01 Acknowledgements Kingston Restoration Company Limited is extremely thankful to all the agencies and individuals who contributed to the successful implementation of the Peace and Prosperity Project. While the list is very long and we run the risk of omitting important contributors, we are compelled to attempt to make mention of some key players. As such we extend gratitude to the following and hasten to state that the project would not have been as successful without their support: United States Agency for International LMH Publishing Limited Development (USAID) Dr. Wendel Abel Burger King Jamaica Constabulary Force Tastee Limited Dispute Resolution Foundation Nestle PALS Jamaica Limited Kentucky Fried Chicken Grants Pen Ministers Fraternal Pepsi Cola Limited Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Coca Cola Limited Designs & Displays Limited Western Sports Limited Girl Guide Association of Jamaica Grace Kennedy & Company Limited Design Options Limited CB Chicken Company Limited Stella Maris Foundation Cable & Wireless Jamaica Limited Prof. Barry Chevannes Hylton’s Trophy Limited Ambassador Courtney Walsh Courtney Walsh Sports & Goods Limited Constant Spring Police Station Lock Safe & Vault Matildas Police Station Super Valu Supermarket Hope Area Church Organization Jan’s School of Catering Monsignor Richard Albert of the Stella Victoria Mutual Building Society Maris Church Liguanea Drug & Garden Centre Mrs. Denise Erskine Jones Food for the Poor The Planning Institute of Jamaica The Jamaica Library Service Social Development Commission Arawak Publisher The Custos of St. Andrew – Rev. Carmen Jamaica Junior Chamber Stewart Ian Randle Publishers Excelsior Community College The University Press Shortwood Teachers College Russell Enterprises Limited The dream of the residents of Grants Pen and Standpipe for a better future is now more achievable because of your kind support. 1 REPORT - for the Period March 2001 to September 2004 Introduction This document examines the experience and achievements of the Peace and Prosperity Project (PPP), a development project designed to improve the economic and social conditions of two poor neighbourhoods in Kingston, Jamaica namely Grants Pen and Cedar Valley (which is also known as Standpipe). The three-year project, which was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) Limited, is generally regarded as being a success. Conveying the achievements of the project and the reasons underlying its success is of the utmost importance, especially given the proliferation of similar communities across Jamaica’s urban landscape and the concomitant need to identify and take actions that produce meaningful results. The willingness of the USAID to support such an initiative deserves the highest commendation and serves to demonstrate the commitment of the Agency to improving the business environment for developing the small, medium, and micro enterprise sectors. This is seen as a precondition for sustainable economic growth, which ultimately leads to the eradication of poverty in developing countries. Approaching the problem from the community level supports a belief shared by the KRC, which is, that the lack of investment and declining business activities cannot be substantially addressed without a concerted effort to stabilize the volatile, poverty stricken residential neighbourhoods, which usually lie in close proximity to commercial centres. The spawning of poverty is also another area of concern in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA). As the city developed, the physical, social and economic problems typical of many inner-city communities also migrated to “uptown” areas. Notwithstanding this reality, most of the efforts at urban regeneration and community development were focused in and around Downtown Kingston. With the arguments above serving as the philosophical underpinning of the project, it was easy to select the communities of Grants Pen and Standpipe. During the 1990s Grants Pen was regarded as the most dangerous area in Jamaica and Standpipe, though receiving less publicity, had its share of ills. These unfortunate and undesirable situations coupled with the proximity of the areas to each other and to commercial areas such as Constant Spring and Liguanea, provided a 2 REPORT - for the Period March 2001 to September 2004 most interesting interplay of issues, which highlighted the complexity of the problem. If such a project could be effectively implemented in these two communities and a replicable model formulated, then the knowledge and experiential gaps regarding urban poverty and decay would have been narrowed significantly. New tools would have been found to tackle issues such as intra community violence, wanton indiscipline, and high unemployment. New methods to promote the conditions for economic and social development would have been discovered and put into practice in these two areas and their environs. The report describes the two communities prior to commencement of project implementation, thus setting the rationale for the types of interventions and approaches taken. It then looks at the results framework of the Peace and Prosperity Project highlighting exactly what the project was to achieve and how these achievements were to be quantified. Set against these targets, the report then speaks to the actual outputs and outcomes and the lessons learnt. The issue of sustainability is also addressed. 3 REPORT - for the Period March 2001 to September 2004 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................... 2 Appendices..................................................................................................................................... 5 Acronyms....................................................................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary...................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT...................................................... 11 1.1 RESULTS FRAMEWORK............................................................................................. 12 1.2 COMMUNITY BASELINE CONDITIONS .................................................................. 13 1.2.1 Community Profile – Grants Pen, St. Andrew ....................................................... 13 1.2.2 Community Profile – Standpipe / Cedar Valley, St. Andrew ................................ 14 1.3 GETTING TO ACTION ON THE GROUND................................................................ 15 CHAPTER TWO: ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS................................................... 17 2.1 IR 1 – INCREASED EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES .............................................................................................. 17 2.1.1 Professional Continual Development Programme ............................................... 18 2.1.2 Employment Readiness Programme .................................................................... 20 2.2 ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND NEW BUSINESS CREATION..... 23 2.2.1 Technical Support and Business Development Training ..................................... 24 2.2.2 Access to Credit / Tools ....................................................................................... 24 2.3 IR 2 IMPROVED COMMUNITY CAPACITY FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION...... 26 2.3.1 Establishment of Peace Centres ........................................................................... 26 2.3.2 Conflict Resolution Training................................................................................ 27 2.3.3 Uniformed Groups................................................................................................ 27 2.3.4 Supporting existing community based initiatives ................................................ 28 2.3.5 Sporting Competitions / Events............................................................................ 28 2.3.6 Development of Community Facilities ................................................................ 29 CHAPTER THREE: PROJECT IMPACT, LESSONS LEARNT AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................ 31 3.1 PROJECT IMPACT ........................................................................................................ 31 3.2 LESSONS LEARNT / REINFORCED........................................................................... 34 3.3 SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES.......................................................................................... 36 3.4 PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT ......................................................... 42 4 REPORT - for the Period March 2001 to September 2004 Appendices 1 Logical Framework for the Period March 19, 2001 – September 30, 2004 2 Background – Kingston Restoration Company Limited 3 Success Stories 4 Personal Development/Literacy Programme – Standpipe Resource