JN Money made ‘Christmas come true’ for budding Jamaican entrepreneur

“I am always seeking employment and have tried to get certified,” explained Gollab. “After leaving high school I did Housekeeping Levels 1 and 2 with the HEART Trust/NTA so I could gain an advantage in the working world.”

“I sent out many applications, including one to the Ministry of Labour for the overseas employment programme. I was scheduled to travel in May 2020 but it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Out of frustration, the mother of one then decided to try entrepreneurship to assist with her family’s expenses.

“I decided to sell items such as soups on a Friday, as well as lemonade and punches because my stepfather was the only person in my family working full-time. I also sold beauty products in my community,” she stated.

“While selling the beauty products, I realized that there was a market for it and I decided to order items online from the little money I was able to save. My dream was to be able to build a shop in my yard, but I didn’t have the funds,” she added.

Gollab was exploring ways to grow her operations when she saw an email from JN Money about their ‘Christmas Come True’ promotion. The promotion invited customers who sent or received funds using JN Money, or, ‘followed’, or ‘liked’ at least one JN Money social media page, to share a story about themselves or someone who had been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and how JN Money could make ‘Christmas come true’.

“I have been a JN customer for a long time, and I normally read their emails and follow them on social media. I was scrolling through my email when I saw the promotion and I decided to share my story,” she said.

“I shared my story about my challenges.  In my story, I explained that I wanted to do ‘buy and sell’ and operate a store or have a shop at my home. I am really happy for the opportunity to become a full-fledged entrepreneur.”

Sanya Wallace, senior manager, strategic planning and marketing at JN Money, explained that the remittance company introduced the promotion to boost its customers’ morale and spread the Christmas cheer after a difficult 2020.

“We recognized that since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our customers have been impacted by job losses and some were feeling down because of the restrictions in movement to limit the spread of COVID-19,” she explained. “We introduced the competition to spread good tidings and also as part of our wider efforts as a company to give back to Jamaicans at home and abroad. We wanted them to know that they are our family and that despite the circumstances, we wanted them to remain positive during this season.”

“Miss Gollab’s story touched us, as it showed that even with a pandemic people have been resilient and continue to find ways to survive. We were also impressed with her determination as well as her positivity and desire to succeed,” said Wallace.

Naturally, Gollab was elated when she received a call from the JN Money team informing her that she would receive her Christmas wish.

“I was overjoyed,” she stated. “Words cannot express how I feel because I now have somewhere to store the products I have ordered and also purchase more items for my customers. I am really grateful that JN Money made my Christmas wish come true.”