GoodHeart | HerFlow to celebrate Jamaica’s unsung ‘sheroes’
Published:Saturday | March 21, 2026 | 12:07 AM
Since its launch in 2019, the Celebrate Her initiative by the HerFlow Foundation has evolved into a living archive of Jamaican women who give, build, and sustain their communities, often without recognition or reward. Through its Celebrate Her Unsung ‘Shero’ Awards, the initiative celebrates women whose daily acts quietly transform lives, reminding the nation that leadership is often rooted in care, not headlines.
The awards spotlight those who rarely seek recognition: community organisers, guidance counsellors, school nurses, and caregivers. These women are the steady force behind grassroots change, pouring from what they have, even when it is very little, to ensure others have more.
Reflecting on the initiative, HerFlow’ Foundation’s Executive Director Shelly-Ann Weeks shared with GoodHeart, “Women are often the architects of recovery, holding families together, rebuilding communities, and restoring hope.”
Over the years, more than 90 women have been honoured, their stories amplified each year around International Women’s Day as a call to inspire wider community impact and empowerment.
This year, Celebrate Her carries a deeper emotional weight in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, a crisis that tested the resilience of communities across Jamaica as much as it tested infrastructures.
In response, HerFlow introduced the Legacy of Care award, recognising women whose sustained commitment to others has helped shape communities long before and long after crisis strikes. This honour celebrates patterns of purpose, acknowledging that consistent, caring action often has the most lasting impact.
“In moments of crisis like Hurricane Melissa, [a woman’s] courage, resilience, and leadership become even more vital. Celebrate Her exists to shine a light on these extraordinary women, because when we recognise, support, and invest in their work, we secure the very future of our nation,” Weeks explained.
In total, 20 women will be recognised on March 29, including 10 who stepped up in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, alongside an additional 10 honourees under the newly established Legacy of Care award, delivered in partnership with the Canadian High Commission.
Among the Legacy of Care awardees are: Michelle ‘D’Angel’ Downer, whose work through the Angel’s Foundation provides care, stability, and hope for single mothers and their children navigating life after the hurricane; Joy Crawford, for creating pathways to healing and resilience for survivors of sexual abuse and neglect; and Dr Janice Johnson Dias, for mobilising resources to rebuild homes and restore dignity in Flankers, Montego Bay.
This year also marks the first collaboration with Malta, an extension of the brand’s ‘The Good You Give’ campaign, an ethos that recognises and celebrates everyday contributions that strengthen families, communities, and ultimately, the nation.
The partnership underscores the importance of recognising not only moments of heroism, but also sustained, everyday leadership.
In amplifying these women, Celebrate Her reframes how impact is defined, showing that women are really the pillars of society, whose leadership, service, and unwavering care hold families, communities, and the nation together.