Westmoreland women get a day of HERS empowerment
Published:Wednesday | January 21, 2026 | 12:07 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
More than 300 women from across western Jamaica were given a rare opportunity to pause, breathe, and be nurtured during A Day of HERS, a women’s empowerment event hosted in Westmoreland last Saturday by the I AM … Foundation International.
The initiative, organised by Shernette Levy, who started the foundation, brought together women from different backgrounds for a full day of self-care, health services, spiritual reflection, and social connection.
“H.E.R.S. means healing, empowerment, restoration, and spirit,” Levy explained during an interview with The Gleaner. “I wanted a woman – everything you can think of that embodies what a woman would be interested in – to have that in one space.”
Levy said the idea was born out of a simple but powerful question she asked herself as a woman witnessing the daily struggles faced by others.
“I said to myself, what can (I) as a human being, an individual, a woman who’s feeling the pain of all of these other women … do instead of waiting on these big organisations that can be impactful?”
Without relying on government funding or large institutions, Levy and a committee of nine women mobilised friends, volunteers, and sponsors to create the event in just over a month.
“I thought of it about a month ago, and it just grew to where it became on Saturday,” she said.
Held at Manning’s School in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, the event deliberately excluded children to allow women uninterrupted time to focus on themselves.
“It sounds a little harsh, but I didn’t want the distraction,” Levy said. “I wanted a day for you, a day of hers.”
EVENT’S OFFERINGS
Participants received meals, took part in exercise and meditation sessions, listened to live music and comedy, and received ministerial support. Health screenings, including HIV testing, blood pressure checks, and diabetes testing were also offered by medical professionals.
“It was a well-rounded event,” Levy said. “When you walk in, it was everything you can think of that may embody what a woman is interested in.”
Women also received hygiene packages, food bags, and the opportunity to select clothing from a pop-up boutique stocked with donated items from the Victor Lowe Foundation.
And beyond the tangible support, Levy said the emotional impact of the day was what mattered most.
“My purpose was if I get one person to smile and feel that they were valued, I won,” she said.
She recalled one participant telling her, “It’s the first I’ve come somewhere where they didn’t just hand me food. You actually fed my mind.”
Another woman, Levy said, admitted that she never got a massage before.
Levy added, “That was what I wanted to reach out to. I wanted to say, ‘You know, you may be in a centre sleeping, but … I know you’re here. And I wanted to do something to make you smile’.”
Levy said the event was about reminding women that they are seen and not alone.
“I wanted them to know there’s a better tomorrow,” she said. “I wanted to say, ‘I see you’.”
Though Levy is not based in the parish, she said her personal ties and the level of need influenced her decision.
“My dad is from Westmoreland,” she said. “I know western Jamaica was hurting, and I thought, ‘Where can I put myself to be impactful?”
SUPPORT
Support from educators, community leaders, and organisations in the parish helped bring the vision to life, she added.
Originally intended as a one-time initiative, the overwhelming response has prompted discussions about expanding the programme to other parishes.
“I thought of it as a one and done, but nobody’s allowing me to let it be one,” Levy said. “So apparently, we have to go back to the drawing board.”
She revealed that new partnerships, including support from the Jamaican Women of Florida, may make future events possible.
Levy hopes the success of A Day of Hers inspires more citizens to take initiative in their own communities.
“We sit down and wait on somebody to do it,” she said, “But if we take the initiative ourselves, we can help.”
She stressed that impact does not always require massive resources.
“I can’t buy somebody a house, but what I can do is go to the mental space,” she said. “The mental is important.”
The event was supported by a 10-member organising committee, 55 volunteers, and 12 supporters who travelled from the United States at their own expense. Approximately 325 women, including volunteers, attended.
Levy expressed gratitude to the event’s sponsors, noting that their support was critical to its success. Sponsors included the Victor Lowe Foundation, MARS Aviation, and Rosa Young from Wavz Events Jamaican Women of Florida, UCJCI Women’s Fellowship, The Westmorelite Foundation, A.D.O. Unisex School of Cosmetology, Icon Supermarket, Mary Gate of Heaven, Commingle Hotel, Department of Health, and Jaykam Photography.
“I got so many hugs on Saturday,” Levy said. “So it’s just to tell you, they received it.”