11 Men, Seven women trained
The Caribbean Cement Company Limited today handed over a block making machine for a social enterprise project within the community of 10 Miles Bull Bay, St. Andrew.
The social enterprise project, which has been registered and will be operated by an oversight body aims to address some of the socio-economic challenges within the community. The goal is to work with the community members and agencies to train youth in capacity building, block-making and other entrepreneurial skills while generating an income.
The concept for the project began in 2016 with work beginning in 2017. The process of acquiring the machine, electricity supply, water and other elements was followed by commissioning of the machine in 2019.
Carib Cement has funded training for eleven men and seven women in the theory of block making and specific training in handling the donated block machine, which is a DongYu Model QT 4-25.
Yago Castro, General Manager of Carib Cement said this approach is similar to social programmes implemented by CEMEX, Carib Cement’s parent company in other countries.
“CEMEX has a strong commitment to sustainable partnerships with communities and we at Carib Cement have long worked closely with Bull Bay in support of educational, environmental and employment programmes. This block machine is another approach to supporting the community’s development goals. Communities in Mexico and Colombia, by way of donations of machines by CEMEX’s help have sustainably maintained block making programmes. We hope this initiative will be equally effective in Bull Bay and commend the oversight group for their vision in implementing this project,” Mr Castro said.
Between 2016 and 2019 Carib Cement has invested more than $300 million in CSR across the country in keeping with its commitment to building a greater Jamaica.
