Date: January 10, 2020
Time: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Over two years, the Goshen Charge of United Churches – including Goshen, Welsh, Derry and Woodpark United Churches – in St. Mary, United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI) offered a revolving loan scheme to their members to assist in small business ventures. This was inspired by the belief of the Charge’s leadership that the Church should assist members with economic opportunities for self-sustenance and to support their families.
Several congregation members have each benefitted from the $10,000 loan ceiling paid to suppliers for agricultural inputs such as animal feed, Irish potatoes and broiler chicks. Upon profit from sale of harvested crop, a congregation member repaid the loan and even chose to donate the full amount to the programme. Another recipient also donated to the project half of the loan amount, on top of the mandatory loan re-payment upon harvest. This scheme has not only succeeded in empowering the Charge’s members and enhancing their economic viability, but also meeting ministry needs.