In the farming community of Burnt Savannah, St Elizabeth, where resilience has become a way of life, one female entrepreneur is finding her footing again, empowered to rebuild after devastating setbacks caused by Hurricane Melissa last October.

Originally from Litchfield, Trelawny, Nekesha Hines-Brown relocated to St Elizabeth in search of better opportunities. Like many women carving out their own path, her journey into entrepreneurship was not straightforward or carefully mapped out, but shaped over time by necessity, persistence and her determination to secure stability for herself and family.

She started small, four years ago at age 34, selling Jello and ‘sky juice’—a popular frozen treat known in some parts of rural Jamaica as ‘skyrock’. She sold her product to children and other community residents. She saved and reinvested a portion of the proceeds from each sale and slowly expanded her offerings.

“I froze them at my house and sold them, and those sky juice sales turned into the shop business,” she recalled. “I didn’t take out any loans. I started by selling sky juice, and with that I bought my first crate of liquor, then went up from there.”

Over time, that persistence grew into a modest but steady shop, Nekesha’s One Stop Bar and Grocery, stocked with everyday essentials for her community. Her inventory included alcoholic beverages and snacks. “On Saturdays, I also make some soup, and if I get fish, I roast them and sell them as well,” she shared.

She also started a small poultry business, raising chickens to supply meat and generating additional revenue. She said that although there were moments when she felt like giving up, especially during periods when business was slow, these ventures were a lifeline to her family until disaster struck.

When the Storm Came

When Hurricane Melissa battered St Elizabeth, Hines-Brown’s two main sources of income were wiped out in a matter of hours.

Her shop suffered damage, with goods destroyed and appliances ruined by water and debris. Her entire poultry stock was also lost. “The hurricane experience was very traumatising. My community suffered badly. Part of my roof at home went, and also the shop’s roof. My chickens drowned. I lost 75 chickens,” she said.

The loss meant a severe blow to her ability to comfortably provide for her five children, including one of her youngest, who requires ongoing care for serious health conditions. She also supports her grandmother and other family members back in Trelawny.

“My nine-year-old son, my fourth child, has several underlying health conditions, and sometimes getting his medications is a real challenge,” she explained. “One of my daughters was also in college, and she had to drop out because it’s just me and I couldn’t afford it,” she added, sharing the motivations that drive her as a business owner.

Hope After Devastation

Now months after the hurricane, relief has come in an unexpected but timely way.

In March, celebrated as Women’s Month, Hines-Brown was announced as one of five women entrepreneurs in western Jamaica selected to benefit from grants funded by proceeds from the 2026 JN Group Race for Hope 5K and Kids Fun Run, held in January. The initiative, which normally channels funds to sustain Hope Gardens in St Andrew, was expanded in the wake of the storm to support individuals facing hardship and provide them with a pathway to recovery.

The five recipients, two of whom are JN members, were chosen through a structured selection process that assessed storm impact, recovery readiness, financial need and their potential to support and strengthen their communities.

The announcement aligned closely with the message behind International Women’s Day 2026 and its theme, “Give to Gain,” which emphasises the power of investing in women. For Hines-Brown, a JN member, the grant represents an opportunity to ‘build back better’ especially as her work supports not only herself, but her family, her ambitions and her community, a reality shared by many women entrepreneurs across Jamaica.

“This grant means the world to me because I can use those funds to invest more in my businesses and also support my children,” she related.

With the proceeds of the grant, Hines-Brown plans to restock essential goods and replace damaged equipment to get both her businesses back up and running. She also has future ambitions. “I want to maybe sell lotions, body sprays, nails and lashes. Ladies like those things,” she said, outlining her plans to expand her inventory and attract a wider customer base.

She also hopes to purchase land to build a home, noting that, “It doesn’t matter what little you have. If you have a mindset on what you want, you can achieve it.”

The Race for Hope grants, offered in partnership with the Nature Preservation Foundation, form part of the JN Group’s ongoing efforts to support individuals and communities severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa.