Roofing training tops demand at Darliston Recovery Fair

Hundreds of residents turned out to a community recovery fair in Darliston, Westmoreland, last week, with hurricane-resilient roofing classes proving among the most sought-after services one year after Hurricane Melissa battered sections of the island.

The Build Back Better Roofing clinics, staged as part of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Community Action Fair, attracted standing-room-only crowds at Enfield Primary and Basic School on October 28. The pop-up roofing master classes and demonstrations headlined the Fair’s Technical Assistance Centre (TAC), coordinated by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in partnership with the HEART College of Construction Services, with participants receiving tools and equipment donated by the UNDP to support home repairs and construction.

A media release noted that the UNDP outreach model, packaged as a Community Action Fair, targets build-back-better education and comprehensive hurricane recovery support. Visitors accessed a wide array of services centred on applications for government documents; legal aid, dispute resolution, and wills; National Health Fund registrations, health checks, and tests; and farming support and advice, including distribution of materials by Jamaica4H. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s PATH, Roofing support, and NIS services were also popular among residents.

Among those attending the roofing clinics was farmer Leodon Cummings, who said that the sessions highlighted common mistakes in home construction.

“The roofing clinic taught us a lot, and we learned a lot. It’s like I was still going to school. It’s really good, and the people there left with knowledge, a lot of knowledge,” he said.

Businesswoman Dania Parnell said she learned the importance of building the proper way, including the use of reinforcement, ensuring less destruction in the event of a hurricane.

“I loved that little class that we had today because it teaches us how to come back bigger, better, and stronger,” she said.

Carmen Jones Robinson, who travelled from New Market, St Elizabeth, described the event as both educational and practical.

“Today was so informative. I enjoyed every moment of it. It was very informative, interesting, and we learned a lot. I also went to Heart Trust training today, and I learned things I didn’t know about roofing,” she said.

UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Lesley Ann Ennevor said resilient re-roofing and safer reconstruction are important parts of the UNDP model but that it is also important to recognise that recovery needs are interconnected.

“A household rebuilding after a hurricane may also need assistance to replace documents, access health or psychosocial services, obtain legal guidance, restore a livelihood, or navigate available government programmes,” she said.

Ennevor said UNDP remains committed to recovery that protects dignity, expands access, and strengthens community agency. “This includes ensuring that women, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, small business owners and other groups facing heightened barriers can access information and support,” she stated.

one-stop hub

ODPEM Deputy Director-General Richard Thompson reported that the TAC’s Roofing clinics were a hit, with many artisans from Westmoreland signing up to participate. Noting the severe wind damage to roofs in the aftermath of hurricanes, he said ODPEM embarked on a major initiative in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to support resilient roofing practices.

“We have been saying to Jamaicans to build resilient roofing. And part of our initiative to get persons to understand is by showing them what to do. The roofing clinic has been that initiative,” Thompson said.

The release outlined that UNDP’s Technical Assistance Centre, a feature highlight of its Community Action Fair, is a one-stop hub for information, services, and hurricane recovery mobilised to hurricane-affected communities. A component of UNDP’s Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative (JARRI), the hub is a tailored space for residents to access recovery information, technical guidance, and essential services in one place. The outreach includes Build Back Better clinics and applications for documents, health checks and tests, psychosocial services, legal guidance, and livelihoods recovery opportunities. The aim is not only to share information but to create practical pathways for referrals, follow-up and continued support beyond the day’s event.