TWENTY-FOUR FEMALE farmers from Manchester are celebrating a major milestone as the first graduates of 2025 from the Subsistence to Success (STS) programme; a transformative nine-week journey led by Kenyan missionaries Joseph and Alice Mulaa in partnership with Hi-Pro.
Designed to uplift farming families, the programme nurtures essential life skills, such as conflict resolution, anger management, financial stewardship and responsible decision-making, all delivered from a faith-based perspective.
Inspired by the Mulaa’s mission since 2015, Hi-Pro has been a dedicated partner, working hand in hand with the couple to empower farming communities across Jamaica. Training materials, workshop booklets, financial support and technical training are standard contributions from Hi-Pro, along with a welcome donation of baby chicks to the newly minted graduates to help kick-start or expand their broiler farming operations.
One of the recent graduates, Monique Campbell, a 32-year-old farmer, shared how STS has impacted her journey.
“The programme was introduced to me by my neighbour, and after attending, I fell in love with what I was learning. The most valuable lesson for me was how to manage conflict better and exercise self-control. I always wanted to raise chickens but never had the opportunity. When I learnt that chicks would be given to graduates, I was even more motivated, so a big thank you to Hi-Pro. The programme has been truly rewarding, and I hope others in Manchester take advantage of it in the future.”
One of the unique aspects of the STS programme is the establishment of a leadership team from each cohort. These teams maintain communication with the Mulaas, share community development updates and provide success stories, ensuring that the principles taught during training continue to be applied.
“At Hi-Pro, we believe in upskilling our farming communities, developing and creating well-rounded individuals and families who can strengthen interpersonal relationships, improve their livelihoods, and contribute to Jamaica’s growth,” said Antonette Bromfield, marketing manager, Hi-Pro.
“There are really no words that we can use to explain the great partnership that we have with Hi-Pro,” said Alice and Joseph Mulaa, who were speaking at the recent technical training session and chick handover. “The Hi-Pro reps come in before every graduation and offer information on best practices for raising chicks for profitability, and this has been great for farmers in terms of learning how to avoid losses. We are so grateful of the common goals we share in wanting to look after the welfare of families. Another common denominator between us and Hi-Pro is seeking the glory of God; Hi-Pro and Jamaica Broilers not only want to see better lives on earth, but that our destinies eternally are well secured through Christ.”
To date, over 7,000 farmers have graduated from the programme, making a significant impact on families and communities and, ultimately, improving Jamaica’s agricultural sector.