Tough choices in Arthur Guinness Foundation search

Who will walk in the footsteps of Arthur Guinness? Only nine Jamaican nominees will say 'I'. But not all will walk away with the $1.5-million support grant when the Diageo-led brewery announces the three winners whose projects best reflect the entrepreneurial and philanthropic spirit of Arthur Guinness, who started the brewery more than 250 years ago.

Judges will conclude the selection process in time for announcement on September 26, Arthur Guinness Day.

Braeton Police Youth Club in Portmore thinks nothing can beat their recycling project: 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - It starts with me!'

Started on July 6, it will run until July 2014. It began as a solution to the piles of garbage left at collection points in the Braeton Phase 3 community, because the volume generated outstripped frequency of collection.

REDUCED WASTE

In the first six months, the project aims to decrease waste disposal by 50 per cent, recycle 90 per cent of community waste, convert waste into useful products for beautification, and sustain other projects, while expanding and maintaining collection of waste in the community.

The project, which has opportunities for employment for the initial participants, will sell composted material as fertiliser in phase one, and ornamental plants in phase two. Plastic bottles and styrofoam materials will be repurposed and utilised in their greenhouse and hydroponic garden.

Lynden Buchanan, through his 'Bridging the Gap' project, is seeking to raise $6 million to build a structure to house 40 males in south St Elizabeth. They will be mentored, tutored in a variety of skill areas, and helped in finding employment.

The team is also interested in establishing a similar project in the northeastern region of St Ann for female youths faced with the same situation.

Rosemarie Greene says her project, Spanish Town Citizens Against Gun Violence, cannot be beaten. Her fearlessness in going to these 'bad' communities was inspired after returning to Jamaica and discovering that her brother had been murdered on his Spanish Town farm.

She aims to stop violence by presenting academic courses such as literacy, numeracy and computer training for the youth. She targets areas such as Tawes Pen, Rivoli Avenue, De la Vega City, Gordon Pen, and other "toxic" areas.

Greene has been making a big impact in the town with a number of initiatives. She has partnered with Food For The Poor and other non-profit organisations.

One of the programmes, 'Spanish Town Software Techies', sees youths being taught how to develop apps, which will provide an entrepreneurial opportunity for them. 50 youths are set to receive training over a 15-month period, based on a three-month rotation.