Pondside Bounties Project Descriptor

Accompong, Jamaica

Phases & Activities 2023-2028 

Pondside Bounties is a partnership among Accompong, Respecting Culture & Earth Foundation and universities & organizations to grow the local economy by cultivating the bounties of the land and creating opportunities for creative expression through education, culture and the arts. To do this, there are multiple parts that interconnect.  For the purpose of detailing the project objectives and activities, the following themes are identified: 

·       Land development 

·       Structures—operational systems and physical structures

·       Relationships for planning and partnering

·       Learning & Creating 

·       Website—communications, public relations, marketing and fundraising

·       Economy 

The development of Pondside Bounties will occur over the 5-year period from 2023—2028 using a 4-phase approach, outlined below.

Phase 1 Building Infrastructure 2023 (completed)

We’ll emphasize developing the infrastructure in the first phase. Infrastructure includes the: 

·       land: 

  • clearing the mountain in sustainable ways 

  • collecting, purchasing,& planting

·       structure: 

  • building an educational hut with bamboo & thatch

  • funding of project management team activities and resource needs

·       relationships:

  • linking with NCU to establish internships and/or apprenticeships

  • articulating a guiding structure for connecting departments & Accompong in mutually beneficial ways

  • building partnership with Sweet Water Foundation (SWF) in Chicago, IL, USA and other organizations with like missions

·       website: 

  • updating and expanding an informative and interactive website to showcase our project progress, activities, and funding/resource needs 

 Phase 2 Growing & Promoting 2024

In the second phase, we’ll harvest and sell our produce and develop and promote learning opportunities as follows.

  • land: 

    • growing & harvesting plants

    • planting other crops

    • maintaining the bush

  • structure

    • building other sustainable huts

    • establish a drying and packaging system for teas

  • relationships

    • agreements with other universities for internships & exchanges 

    • establish a residential Fellows program

    • activate the network of SWF’s value-based partners for resource sharing and exchanges

    • establish public relations outreach to organizations & agencies

  • learning & creating

    • establish curricula for engaging students and visitors through experiential learning about medicinal plants and Maroon culture

    • establish workshops for using the bush for artistry (e.g., plant dye, wicker weaving, seed jewelry)

  • website

    • build, field-test, and facilitate an interactive sub-site using the input from partners about collaborative needs and methods

    • establish a “How you can help/participate” fundraising component 

    • link to and maintain a social media presence

  • economy

    • create paid fellowship and apprenticeship programs that support local co-teachers & mentors 

    • workshop, field trip, and visitor fees to fund a coordinator position

    • establish a budget including farmer, tour guide & teacher payments

    • promote Pondside as eco-tourism destination based in/developed with community-based tourism principles

 Phase 3 Expanding Learning & Relationships 2025-2026

We’ll deepen and expand our partnership agreements, publicize our processes, systemize our economy, and market our educational opportunities in Phase three.

  • land 

    • growing & harvesting plants

    • maintaining the bush

    • documenting the sustainable use of the environment

    • establishing a system for economic self-sufficiency/profitability of farmers

  • structure

    • implement packaging & distribution system

    • assessing need for distribution center

    • fundraise for and build distribution center, if warranted

  • relationships

    • secure other agreements for internships & exchanges with universities and organizations (e.g., The Mico College University, Concordia University, MIT, Edna Manley School for the Visual & Performing Arts, University of the West Indies)

    • recruit investors to support each component of project 

  • learning & creating

    • create and market products that are generated from curricula and workshops (e.g., medicinal plant info cards, artwork, living legacy stories) 

    • establish and fundraise for artist-in-residence program

    • offer seminars and workshops (e.g., our collaborative model, ecology of Cockpit Country)

    • develop and fundraise for international youth forum on social justice highlighting Maroon values of autonomy courage, respect

    • recruit community members as paid teachers, mentors, guides

    • establish a full-time educational coordinator position

  • website

    • publish weekly feature of departments & partners; project highlights; emerging needs; interviews with Maroon elders & youth

    • create & host a payment site for product purchase and seminar/workshop registrations

    • target outreach to potential partners and investors

    • establish a full-time webmaster position

  • economy

    • establish sustainable employment opportunities

    • implement a marketing plan that secures revenue from medicinal plants, educational products, artworks, and eco-tourism

    • create a network of investors and funding partners

    • develop an operating budget to ensure solvency & sustainability

    • market unique eco, community -based tourism features

 Phase 4 Creating Economic Solvency & Sustainability 2027-2028

In phase four, we’ll continue the work of phase three as we assess the outcomes and needs for a sustainable economy.

·       Assess Outcomes & Results

  • Troubleshoot & Revise Operations as needed

  • Maintain and Expand Strategies for Economic Independence

  • Expand Public Relations and Marketing 

  • Highlight and nurture successful, mutually-beneficial partnership activities