For 15 years, Pauline Wedderburn raised poultry in Glendevon, St James, building a livelihood that supplied restaurants, pan chicken vendors and households within her community. Her operations, however, were brought to a sudden halt when she lost all 350 broiler chickens and half of her 150 layer hens following Hurricane Melissa.
The devastation occurred when a large guinep tree fell and landed directly onto the chicken coop. The impact destroyed the structure and left the birds exposed.
“The rain wet them. They were just three weeks old,” Ms Wedderburn said, noting that chickens must be kept warm to survive.
“I tried to save some [of the layers]. I picked up about 50, but they died because they were soaked,” she related.
Ms Wedderburn pointed out that just before Hurricane Melissa struck, she was in the process of preparing to further increase her poultry production.
“I was supposed to get a next 350 (chickens), but the storm come and I didn’t get it. If I did get the 350 before the storm, I would lose,” she reflected.
She believes the outcome would have been very different had the tree not fallen as the coop was well constructed and had successfully withstood other hurricanes over the years. Despite the tremendous loss, Ms Wedderburn said she did not allow the experience to overwhelm her.
“My father always tells me that ‘what don’t cost life don’t cost nothing’. You can bounce back,” she stressed, adding that her home was not damaged during the hurricane.
The poultry farmer reminisced how her chicken production was small initially but that she gradually expanded it over the years.
“I start with 25 chickens. When I sell the 25 chickens, I buy 50 [more],” she said.
She eventually added layers through a loan she obtained from JN Bank Small Business Loans almost two years ago.
“I had 50 layers and the amount of customers I have, 50 couldn’t supply them,” she said, pointing out that she had to increase her stock to meet the demand as she is the only egg supplier in her immediate community.
Ms Wedderburn rears the chickens herself, with help from her spouse when it is time to pluck them.
Following the hurricane, she was able to access another loan from JN Bank Small Business Loans to rebuild the coop and purchase chickens.
“I’m grateful for the help,” she said, noting that her client relations officer, Vernon Ellis at the JN Bank Montego Bay branch, worked closely with her during the recovery process to ensure that she received assistance quickly.
“I tell people he is the best. Mr Ellis is nice. You can talk to him,” she said adding that she has always been pleased with the service she has received from him.
Through the new loan she received, she is now caring for 400 three-week-old chickens.
Jacquline Jeffers, Client Relations Manager, JN Bank, said the organisation prioritises swift and compassionate intervention when disasters threaten the survival of clients’ businesses.
“Once there is a disaster that poses a risk to the business continuity of our clients, our focus is always to provide timely and flexible financial support that allows them to return to their livelihoods as quickly as possible,” Mrs Jeffers related.
She explained that this support often includes a range of tailored support such as restructuring existing loans, offering temporary payment relief, or providing recovery financing.
“These measures are designed to ease immediate cash-flow pressures, protect jobs, repair damage, replace lost stock and resume operations,” Mrs Jeffers said.
She shared that hurricane recovery support provided by the company to entrepreneurs is designed to ease immediate financial pressure while giving clients time to stabilise.
“In Ms Wedderburn’s case, the assistance helped her restart operations. We restructured her existing loan by extending the repayment period and increasing the value of the loan to enable her to repair the coop and to purchase chickens. By offering recovery financing with manageable terms, we give our clients the breathing room they need to focus on rebuilding rather than worrying about short-term financial obligations,” she explained.
Mrs Jeffers added that the company remains committed to supporting small business owners and farmers during times of crisis.
“Small farmers are essential to Jamaica’s food supply and rural economy, and when disasters like Hurricane Melissa strike, the impact can be devastating.”
“Our role goes beyond lending. It is about partnership and helping our clients get back on their feet so they can continue supporting their families,” she said.
