Miss Frances Steer, Former Head Teacher, Mount Waddy Primary School, Friendship, Jamaica
"The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving." – Albert Einstein. The Melbourne and Michael Folkes Foundation is an organization geared towards community development. It will in the near future assist students financially to acquire a better education. Youngsters will benefit by gaining skills that will enable them to be more productive and allow them to become well rounded in life.
Angel RoseMichael Folkes showed me that no matter how bad my past was, I have the power to make my life better; and I have. Thank you.
Sustenance Farming
As a child Michael Folkes worked on his grandfather's farm. Melbourne Folkes used the produce to feed his extended family and sold surplus to the local college.
As farming is clearly important in Friendship, and in remembrance of his grandfather, Michael wishes to continue and develop this tradition with the Foundation's Sustenance Farming Initiative.
Involving local people and students this initiative will be a community-wide project initially providing produce to local colleges, hotels and restaurants in Phase One. With the Foundation's support it is intended that with greater scale, equipment and organization the Farming Initiative will extend to international exports.
The proceeds from this program will fund the Foundation's educational and humanitarian long-term efforts, thereby creating self-sustainability instead of relying solely on financial donations.