Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Good Shepherd Foundation is on a campaign to raise at least $10 million to fund numerous charitable projects, addressing education, health care and children's homes.

Founder and patron of the Good Shepherd Foundation, Roman Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay, Charles Dufour, reiterated the dire financial constraints the foundation continues to face.

"Our target is to raise $10 million. We are now focusing on our new children's home in Orange, St James, which is a joint venture with the Mustard Seed Communities. We have approximately 26 children there and this should be increased to 75," said Dufour. He also shared plans to establish a centre in that community to accommodate pregnant teens, who have nowhere to live.

Pledges, cheque donations

He was speaking at the annual Bishop's Human Resource and Development Drive, which held its 12th fund-raising event at the home of Montego Bay businessman, Kishin Samtani, last Wednesday. Several individuals and organisations made pledges, as well as cheque donations.

However, the pledges remain woefully inadequate, given the organisation's high operational costs. The fund-raising appeal will run officially until December 25.

Guest speaker, Michele Rollins, chairman of Rose Hall Development Limited, called on civic-minded Jamaicans to support the Good Shepherd Foundation.

Education programme

"I can't say how much I will be donating as yet, but as soon as I have done the math, I will be making my contribution," she said.

Dufour stressed that the foundation would also be putting greater emphasis on its education programme.

"We have a lot of students studying at universities and it is very expensive to maintain, but we want to help as much as possible. The sad thing we have noticed, however, is that most of the success stories are based around young females. Males are not coming forward," he lamented.

The organisation, he said, would be embarking on a drive, in the new academic school year, to establish homework centres in St Ann, Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland.

The Good Shepherd Foundation was established 12 years ago to serve the poor and needy. It is headquartered in Montego Bay, St James. The foundation can be contacted at (876) 952-6678.