Jamaica's Minister of Health and Wellness
Jamaica's Minister of Health and Wellness
MEET THE FOUNDER
‘For the love of country, I will move mountains’
Beverly Nichols is a successful US-based entrepreneur whose love for her homeland has never waxed cold.
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The fourth of six girls, born into a poor family, she was deserted by her mother at a young age. She had to endure neglect and abuse from others. However, her rough start did not stop the ambitious rural Jamaica girl from defying the odds and charting success, while making a difference in people’s lives.
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Today she is laser-focused on giving back to her country, establishing The Push-Start Foundation as the primary vehicle through which to improve the lives of the less fortunate within the Jamaican society.
The foundation’s latest project is the restoration of the Chapelton Community Hospital in Clarendon, as the registered charity pursues it agenda of focusing on healthcare and nutrition.
The Clarendon facility that serves thousands of rural residents shot to the top of the list for attention after an emotional tour. Nichols vowed that it could not be business as usual at the community hospital. “When we went in the area where persons were to be treated, we were taken aback to see what had become of our hospital,” she lamented. “My sister and I couldn’t sit in the waiting area because of the stench.”
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The two escaped upstairs to the administrative section where they had discussions with a hospital official. “While we were touring, he was telling us where to walk because there were parts of the wooden floor that were squeaking. A nurse fell through the floor before,” said Nichols.
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“I felt obliged to do something. So, after the tour I met the head nurse, an African lady, and I said to her I am very sad to see what has become of our hospital and I pledged that I am going to do something.”
CURRENT PROJECT
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The restoration of the Chapelton Community Hospital in Clarendon, Jamaica, is the current project of The Push-Start Foundation.
Phase-one of the project is now complete; the funds during that segment included US$1 million from the founder Jamaican-American businesswoman and philanthropist Beverly Nichols.
The nurse and her colleagues were overjoyed by the promise of help to transform the institution. “They held hands together and they started to jump around in a circle saying, ‘Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord,” remembered the founder of the Push-Start Foundation. “The nurse said – we prayed that God would send a Good Samaritan one day and now here you are,” the nurse told Nichols.
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After that encounter, the well-connected and influential Nichols moved swiftly to make good on her promise. “I got The American Friends of Jamaica, the chartable organization, to help to oversee the funds and we got started.” She went into her pocket and came up with US$1 million to help fund the project. That is how committed and determined she was to get the initiative off the ground with urgency.
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“Right now, we are waiting on the government to finish their portion; my portion is already completed,” she noted. The Government’s arm should get going hopefully before the end of 2021, or early 2022. Nichols wants to see a modern, fully furnished health facility ready as a gift to the people of Jamaica as the country celebrates 60 years of political independence in August 2022.
‘Right now, we need people to give so that all the renovations that are needed can be done.’
The Push-Start Foundation founder noted that resources are necessary to help with the furnishing of the community hospital, hence despite the significant progress, more support is urgent. “Right now, we need people to give so that all the renovations that are needed can be done,” Nichols emphasised. She is hoping that individuals and organizations in Jamaica, in the diaspora and globally, will support this and other projects to improve the lives of poor people in Jamaica.
Through The Push-Start Foundation, Nichols donated US$100,000 for the construction of a dialysis centre at the May Pen Hospital. She has also contributed multiple scholarships to students at various levels of the education system using her personal funds.
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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, she again demonstrated her love for Jamaica and healthcare by providing scores of frontline workers in Jamaica, who were directly involved in the fight against COVID-19, with a monetary donation of US$25,000. Nichols wanted hardworking doctors and nurses, who risk their lives everyday in order to preserve the lives of others, to get the funds to use, however they chose. This act of generosity is only one of several significant charitable initiatives spearheaded by the long-time philanthropist.
‘You have to first fall in love with what you are going to do. Once you are in love with what you are doing, success will come.’
As it pertains to her area of expertise, the home care practitioner said, “I would love to see health care a little bit better in Jamaica.” Specifically, “I would love to see Jamaica focus more on patient service.”
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No doubt, Nichols will continue to ‘move mountains’ in order to give back to her beloved Jamaica. Asked why, after so much personal success as an entrepreneur in New York, she continues to spare so many thoughts for her homeland, Nichols said, “this is where I feel I belong; this is where I was born and bred.”
With several years of operating a successful business under her belt managing Beverly’s Home Health Care, Inc. in New York, Nichols advises budding entrepreneurs to be patient for success. “Have patience and don’t go into business just to make the money. Sometimes there is no money. You have to first fall in love with what you are going to do. Once you are in love with what you are doing, success will come. I learnt that,” she counselled. Nichols is in love with doing voluntary work for Jamaica.
In 2011, the Government of Jamaica honoured her with a Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service, conferred on her in recognition of her amazing charitable initiatives. In 2018, she again received honour from her country, when the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister, conferred on her the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer (OD) for her outstanding contributions to Jamaica and the diaspora.
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Beverly Nichols hopes more persons will join the effort to lift up Jamaica and give back. She said, “I love no place on planet earth like my country. So, for the love of my country I will move mountains.”
This is your opportunity to support Jamaica…Jamaicans, friends of Jamaica, and believers of healthcare for all. Come onboard today. We welcome you.
PUBLIC HEALTHCARE
‘We must continue the work to build a public healthcare system…that delivers superior service’
Many developing countries, Jamaica included, need huge investments to bring their public healthcare systems on par with the best globally. It is true to say therefore that in these countries this sector is in need of urgent improvement to meet current and future demands.
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The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed the shortcomings in healthcare internationally ranging from human resource, medical treatment, diagnostics, space accommodation, biomedical equipment, supplies and ancillary services. Funding and access to vaccine also handicapped the ability of especially small developing nations to keep their populations safe through vaccination.
