Self-reliant Spring Village body honoured
Published:Tuesday | August 3, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer
The Spring Village Development Foundation, a St Catherine-based organisation that is seeking to empower residents in that community, was yesterday honoured with the Michael Manley Foundation award for community self-reliance.
Executive Director of the Spring Village Development Foundation, Randy Finnikin, who broke down in tears while watching a video tribute to his organisation, said the foundation had faced 10 years of "difficult, hard work".
"What moved me the most is that it's been the people at the grass-roots level who conceptualised this, who did the work voluntarily and continue to do it today," Finnikin told The Gleaner.
"This just encourages me that there is hope," he added.
The Spring Village Development Foundation is based in Bushy Park, St Catherine, and was organised by community residents in a bid to improve their economic, academic and social well-being.
Tremendous boost
Finnikin said being recognised by the Michael Manley Foundation would provide a tremendous boost for an organisation that has been struggling, for years, with whether to continue the project.
"What we've been grappling with over the years has been whether or not this was worth continuing ... looking at the old buildings, the rundown facilities, the lack of resources, and wondering if it was making sense," he said.
Finnikin said the award would strengthen the resolve of everyone involved to continue the work.