Despite having a healthy and highly motivated workforce, the Harmons Valley finds itself with an approximate unemployment rate of 75%. When jobs are available, they are often temporary, lower paying, and require costly transportation outside the community. Although Won By One To Jamaica hires around 50 people each week, those positions only occur when there are team present within the community. Won By One To Jamaica is actively involved in creating full-time employment that both benefits the community as well as being self sustaining.
Blessings In Store
Harmons very own thrift store opened in the summer of 2011 and employs 4 families through out the year. Store merchandise is provide by team members who bring donated items when they come for the week. Thesedonations are sorted, prioritized, and then placed in the store, the community's only place to buy new and gently used items. The store is open year-round, run completely by Jamaicans, and offers affordable individually-priced items to the community.
Greenhouse Initiative
Our three 60' x 300' greenhouses began operation in the spring of 2009 and are filled with thousands of pepper, tomato, lettuce, callaloo and other vegetable plants. They produce hundreds of pounds of vegetables each week, which are sold to local brokers and when run efficiently turns a profit for the greenhouse, The Greenhouse produce year-round, also run completely by Jamaicans, and employs 5 families through out the year.
Fish Farm
Within the greenhouse complex is suited a fish farm that began in the spring of 2011. Tilapia and Red Snapper are raised and sold to the community three days per week all year around. There are opportunities to purchase fish at retail prices for personal use or at wholesale prices which encourage local entrepreneurs to develop routes where by they can resale fish to people in outlaying communities. The Fish Farm is open year-round, run completely by Jamaicans, and employs 2 families through out the year.