Paris Guthrie: Fledgling Agripreneur on the Rise, Building a Legacy in Rabbit Farming

Paris Guthrie was three years old when she began her educational journey at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf (CCCD) in Knockpatrick, Manchester.

“I was born deaf. I also grew up in a deaf home because my mom and my dad are also deaf,” she tells JIS News through CCCD interpreter and educator, Talia Shaw.

Over the years, Ms. Guthrie steadily built a strong academic foundation, securing passes in City and Guilds Mathematics, English, and Basic Information Technology (IT) for Office Applications, alongside the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM).

As she approached her final two years at CCCD, she was unsure of a career choice, primarily because of the limited opportunities available to the deaf.

“After graduating, I was staying at home, trying to figure out what’s next. Then this opportunity came. I was just excited,” Ms. Guthrie says.

Having successfully completed a series of training initiatives with the HEART/NSTA Trust during her tenure as a CCCD student, she was identified as a strong candidate for the Incubator Programme.

This initiative is specifically designed to support start-ups and early-stage businesses by providing mentorship, access to funding, networking opportunities, and comprehensive business development support.

Now 21 years old, Ms. Gutherie has set her sights on establishing a thriving enterprise in rabbit farming.

She recalls that when the first opportunity arose to participate in the HEART/NSTA Trust’s tractor operation training, she was hesitant. Initially uninterested, it was the encouragement of her teacher that persuaded her to give it a try.

“It wasn’t easy, but it was interesting. There were difficulties but the teacher made it easier for us to learn,” she says, adding that she went on to successfully complete additional training in greenhouse technology and small ruminant rearing.

Ms. Guthrie tells JIS News that she found the final training session to be truly eye-opening, noting that among the various areas explored, rabbit farming stood out to her as both practical and promising.

She explains that caring for rabbits requires daily attention, including routine checks to ensure they remain in good health and are properly fed.

When asked what she loves most about rabbit farming, Ms. Guthrie’s answer came easily: “I like the fact that the rabbits are soft and fuzzy, and they’re also small.”

She notes that the support provided through the HEART/NSTA Trust Incubator Programme has, thus far, been both practical and meaningful.

“They provided us with equipment like files and machetes. They donated four rabbits to me as well. The presentation of the machetes was beautiful… nicely wrapped with bows,” she shares.

Ms. Guthrie’s business model is already taking shape, guided by a two-pronged vision: some rabbits are being raised for consumption, and others for sale as pets.

“My plan is to ensure that this business develops over time. I want it to be generational… a heritage that I pass on to my children,” she affirms, expressing the hope that her own success will serve as inspiration for others who aspire to entrepreneurship.

“I want the deaf community to know that they truly can. Paris did it… so they can do that as well. I also want to help provide jobs for other individuals who are deaf. My vision is to pass this skill on to others,” she tells JIS News.

Ms. Guthrie expresses gratitude not only for the training she received but also for the sense of inclusion it fostered.

“I’m really grateful, because HEART partnered with us as a deaf community and individuals who have disabilities. A lot of people ignore the deaf community and a lot of deaf people find it hard to find jobs,” she reasons.

While entrepreneurship remains her present focus, Ms. Guthrie continues to hold space for academic pursuits. She shares a deep passion for education, particularly for ensuring that deaf children receive a proper foundation, and intends to pursue studies in education at the HEART/NSTA Trust to advance that cause.

With a hopeful smile, she adds, “And then who knows? I might become a teacher at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf.”

CCCD Acting Executive Director, John Meeks, tells JIS News that Ms. Guthrie is among four students and alumni selected to participate in the Incubator Programme, under a two-year contract signed in October 2025.

“This partnership with HEART/NSTA Trust forms a large part of our strategic push to ensure that our deaf persons are more employable, are skilled and, therefore, have an opportunity for entrepreneurial businesses or ventures, if they so choose. Vocational skills are certainly able to push them into the world of employment,” he says.

Mr. Meeks explains that the HEART/NSTA Trust Ebony Park Academy in Clarendon will provide the participants with technical training, ongoing monitoring, and the majority of resources required to support their growth.

The aim, he notes, is to guide them from the very beginning stages to the point where they are fully functional and independently operational as entrepreneurs in both crop production and rabbit farming.

He advises that the CCCD supports the process by providing participants with access to land and accommodation.

“[Ms. Guthrie] lives all the way in Trelawny. So what we are now doing is providing accommodations for her and another student… who is also part of the project, to reside on campus here or at the Jamaica Deaf Village [in Manchester] and we intend to… incorporate them as trainee agriculture staff, which would broaden their horizon on other aspects of agriculture that we provide,” Mr. Meeks says.