Since his release from prison last year, Buju Banton has been on a personal mission to eradicate some of the poverty in Jamaica. Continuing in that vein, he recently announced that JM$3 million that he donated from winning the Festival Song Competition has gone towards the construction of a poultry/egg layers project at Sunbeam Children’s Home in Jamaica. He won the competition with his track, “I Am A Jamaican.”
Earlier this week, he and American rapper Kanye West teamed to donate laptops to each of the 40 boys at the Sunbeam Children’s Home in St Catherine, and at another home, Mount Olivet Boys Home in Manchester, they donated desktops.
Buju Banton made the revelation through his Instagram page, where he also stated that the aim was to try and help create a sustainable income stream for the childcare facility and employable skills for the boys at the home.
He posted this caption alongside photos of the project, which is already underway: “Give thanks to the Jamaica Song Festival and all who voted.
You didn’t just vote for a song, you voted for the youths. It’s a joy to announce the @bujubantonfoundation has started the construction of a poultry/egg layers project at Sunbeam Children’s Home here in Jamaica. The J$3million cash prize was donated to this venture.
Upon completion, there should be a sustainable income stream for the childcare facility and employable skills forwards and voluntary employment for those unable to attend school. Follow @bujubantonfoundation to learn more about the progress we are making.
According to the Buju Banton Foundation, the facility will provide training in sound work ethics for all wards and will also help them have steady work in the event that they cannot attend school.
As he seeks to keep everyone apprised with the developments of the foundation, he also announced the launch of his own newsletter to be called the Destiny Newsletter. He made the announcement in October about the magazine.
“Check out the @bujubantonfoundation newsletter. For the youth! (Link in story).”
Banton is the editor, and each issue looks like it will cover a span of three months as the first issue covers from October to January 2021. The stories in this issue include his $3 million donation to the Sunbeam Boys’ Home, his giving away 100 pairs of footwear and footballs to a set of needy boys, and the inaugural Murdine Clarke Scholarship at his alma mater, Denham Town High School.
There is also an article about Banton being honored at the 2020 Caribbean American Heritage Awards (CARAH), which was described as: “the leading honours event by the Caribbean diaspora for people in the Caribbean diaspora.”
CARAH explained why Banton would be receiving the honor. “We view with much respect your longevity in the business, your prolific output and your impact on the US and global culture scape. We take note of your Grammy-winning discography as well as your most recent exploration Upside Down 2020 and the soulful Buried Alive, which is serving as a transformational healing anthem for many around the world at this time of extreme challenge. We especially value your passionate and compassionate outreach to and investment in the youth in Jamaica through your Buju Banton Foundation.”
He will be presented with the honor on November 20.
