Entrepreneurs to benefit from REAP Conference on March 26

Entrepreneurs from across western Jamaica and beyond are set to benefit from networking, training and inspiration at the Fifth staging of the Realise, Embrace, Achieve Your Purpose (REAP) Entrepreneurship Conference, scheduled for March 26 at the Iberostar Rose Hall Hotel in St. James.

The annual conference is hosted by Young Women and Men of Purpose, and forms part of activities to support participants of the REAP Entrepreneurship Programme, which provides training and technical support to community-based entrepreneurs.

Founder and Executive Director of Young Women and Men of Purpose, Lasinia Rhoden, told JIS News that the initiative continues to play a vital role in equipping entrepreneurs with the tools needed to grow and sustain their businesses.

“The fifth REAP Entrepreneurship Conference is being held in the parish of St. James this year. As you’ve heard, it is the fifth time that we’re having this conference. On an annual basis, Young Women and Men of Purpose, we do host an entrepreneurship conference for entrepreneurs who’ve participated in our REAP entrepreneurship programme,” she explained.

Ms. Rhoden noted that in 2025, the programme was implemented in partnership with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Community Renewal Programme, benefiting 50 entrepreneurs across St. James, Hanover, Clarendon, Kingston and St. Andrew.

“After completing the programme, we usually host what we call an award ceremony, a close out event, and also a conference where they get the opportunity to hear from successful entrepreneurs and also have the opportunity to interact with other entrepreneurs within the room,” she added.

She further pointed out that this year’s staging takes on added significance in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which impacted several western communities.

“In light of what happened with Hurricane Melissa, especially across the western parishes, we wanted to also host a conference there, so that entrepreneurs who have been impacted negatively can get that opportunity to come, to learn, to connect and to learn how they can actually recover and even build more resilience and maybe even pivot their businesses,” Ms. Rhoden said.

The conference will feature keynote speaker Nathaniel Peat, a social entrepreneur from the Jamaican diaspora and business advisor in the United Kingdom, along with panel discussions and networking opportunities.

Technical Specialist for Socio-Economic Development at the PIOJ, Charmaine Brimm, has underscored the agency’s role in supporting the initiative, noting that it aligns with broader goals of community development and economic empowerment.

“PIOJ’s interest in this was to respond to the need that we have seen coming through from our baseline studies and just with our regular interactions with entrepreneurs at the community level,” she said.

“And so, we thought that this was a good opportunity to pull together entrepreneurs across five of the target parishes and to engage them in this one-year, six-month programme,” Ms. Brimm added.

She indicated that the initiative is also geared towards strengthening livelihoods and economic outcomes within communities.

“For us, in terms of the indicators, that is to help us to see how we are helping to improve employability at the community level as well as looking at how we are helping with developing wealth creation at the community level through entrepreneurial activities,” she noted.

Registration is required to attend the conference and can be completed via the organisation’s social media platforms at https://www.instagram.com/p/DVeIpRQjSYi/.

The cost to participate is $3,500.