Founder and CEO of the WiPay Group, Aldwyn Wayne, saw the devastation caused by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa and heard the cries of the people and did something about it.

He mobilised a team and headed a convoy with food packages, water, Starlink and security personnel to go and help people in the hinterlands of Westmoreland.

We set out in the early morning, intent on making the most of daylight hours. The aim was to meet with non-profit Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) in Whitehouse and surrounding communities to provide roofing, hand out care packages and provide internet via Starlink..

Aldwyn Wayne and his companies also sponsored a team of carpenters, electricians and plumbers to help rebuild temporary roofing solutions for people in need.

Hailing from Trinidad & Tobago, Aldwyn Wayne created WiPay to address the need for financial inclusion in the Caribbean through online payment technology. WiPay is a Caribbean fintech company that offers various payment solutions like digital wallets, QR code payments and POS terminals.

Nimble Mobile, a company within the WiPay Group, provides eSIM solutions for travellers in the Caribbean and beyond.

Both WiPay and Nimble have partnered to offer travel-related services, and WiPay has used Nimble Mobile to save on roaming costs.

On route to Westmoreland via St Elizabeth, the closer we got, the clearer the magnitude of the devastation became. Roads were impassable, areas were waterlogged, debarked and felled trees everywhere, JPS poles with wiring lay on the ground—a hazardous situation all around.

The denuding of vegetation in communities and the fury of Mother Nature unleashed has to be seen to be believed. The stillness in the air was telling. Zahra Burton was met with derision when she said there are no John Crows to be seen, and she was right, nor other birds for that matter. The desolation is unsettling to say the least.

Churches, schools, healthcare centres, rum bars all decimated. Bethel Town sustained tremendous damage.

We stopped, and the team got to work at a place called “Cornwall Mountain”. It was there that the true horror was unveiled.  The place looked like a bomb had been dropped there, like you see in superhero movies. Rubble, leafless branches and trees, corrugated roofing, zinc dotted in hills, empty, destroyed houses. The place was laid to waste.

Despite the grimness of the situation, the people remained unbowed. Kids played in the streets, ladies sat in once bustling communal spots, and young men laboured to clear roads.

The Nimble and WiPay team set up the vans to hand out the food packages, with people lining up in an orderly fashion. They expressed their gratitude as water was also handed out.

Starlink was powered by mobile generators, and Aldwyn encouraged the communities to not only make use of it and get in touch with people but also charge up their mobile phones.

The team from GEM worked assiduously to provide roofing, toiling throughout the day. Some were former US soldiers and knew what they were doing. Some slept on site on the bare ground, determined to stick to their task. They must be commended for their efforts. Jamaica should be grateful for its sterling contribution.

Our Today spoke with both Aldwyn Wayne and WiPay’s chief marketing officer, Kibwe McGann

“Jamaica is a second home to me, and obviously, with Hurricane Melissa, it’s a case of all hands on deck from all parts of the world, particularly the Caribbean. We started by just lending a helping hand where needed. We then saw an opportunity to provide value by partnering with GEM. We are looking to restore 30 medical centres in communities within the southwest and northwestern part of the island that will not only provide shelter but will help with medical needs.

“This project has a distinct plan with a certain outcome expected. The focus is the people, and we do have a business that provides internet, so we can help in that respect. In a time like a disaster like this, we see the value of being able to connect people. So we are providing an opportunity to charge phones and devices. With us providing  Starlink here, people can talk with their loved ones. It’s about giving the people connectivity and communication,” said the WiPay boss.

Kibwe McGann added: “One of the things we recognised was that we needed to provide a solution that was more long-term as opposed to just giving food for a day. The solutions needed are not just for today. It will take months, years for Jamaica to recover. By providing roofing for the medical centres, we have ticked off one solution for 30 communities. This is a long-term project for WiPay and Nimble Mobile. We want impact, not just for today but on a long-term basis.”

This was an excellent initiative and is an example of what the private sector can bring to Jamaicans in dire need in a time of crisis. It also demonstrates that our Caribbean brothers and sisters will rally to our call when we are in peril, and we, too, should do likewise.