Strong fathers build strong families, and the parenting initiative in Pisgah, St. Elizabeth, as part of the #PROJECTPISGAH initiative has demonstrated just how impactful father-focused support can be.

Over the past several months, fathers and their children participated in a series of parenting sessions, counselling services, and family-centred social activities designed to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and create lasting bonds. The initiative provided fathers with practical parenting tools while offering a safe space for both parents and children to receive guidance and support. The goal was not only to enhance parenting practices but also to create opportunities for meaningful engagement between fathers and their children.

Throughout the programme, participating fathers explored topics such as positive discipline, effective communication, emotional support, and shared responsibility within the family. These sessions provided practical tools that fathers could apply in their daily lives while also creating a supportive environment where participants could share experiences, challenges, and successes with one another.

The social activities, including a Family Fun Day, also created opportunities for families to spend meaningful time together, fostering unity and shared experiences. These family-centred events encouraged quality time, teamwork, and positive interaction among family members.

For many participants, these activities provided valuable opportunities to reconnect, create lasting memories, and strengthen the bonds that are essential to family stability and growth.

The outcomes of the initiative have been encouraging. Fathers reported increased confidence in their parenting roles, improved communication with their children, and a deeper understanding of the importance of active and consistent involvement in family life. Families also experienced stronger relationships and greater cohesion, demonstrating the positive ripple effects that result when fathers are equipped and supported to engage meaningfully with their children.

Just over 2,200 households in hurricane affected communities have been wired for electricity under the National Energy Poverty Reduction Project (NEPRP), a $1 billion Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) initiative supporting recovery and expanding energy access.

Of these, more than 500 households have already been connected to the grid, with the remaining beneficiaries scheduled to come on stream in phases.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, is encouraging gender focal points across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to remain steadfast in advancing gender equality, underscoring its importance as a cornerstone of Jamaica’s national development agenda.

She made the call during the Gender Mainstreaming Certification and Recertification Ceremony, held on April 23 at the AC Hotel by Marriott Kingston.