How it started:

Liberated Lands (LL) Rebuild Jamaica Initiative is a response to Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. LL founder Isa Jamira Moise (IJM) was in Jamaica during Hurricane Melissa, taking care of her grandmother’s home in Montego Bay. There isn’t one person in Western Jamaica who wasn’t impacted by the storm and who is still dealing with those impacts. Everyone’s homes who survived needed repairs done on their homes, for roof leaks, broken windows, and/or flooding.

The island’s history of classism, corruption and exploitation proved to remain prevalent after the hurricane. Hotels with power, water, and the majority of their amenities intact were doing nothing to help Jamaicans in need of help. There are also local testimonials about politicians being selective with hurricane relief support, only giving necessary recovery supplies to Jamaicans who voted in their favor.

Market prices for fresh produce tripled after the storm. Farmers in the west lost fields of produce. IJM recalled a papaya farm with acres of flattened papaya trees, losing thousands in what would produce sales.

Why is this a good time to expand Liberated Lands movement building to Jamaica:

Hurricane Melissa opened Jamaicans up to be willing to try “alternative” solutions. LL knows solutions that are now recognized as “alternative” are the original and wise solutions for rebuilding infrastructure. Earth buildings are not new and are part of the island’s recent indigenous history. There are living generations on the island who remember their grandparents living in “mud houses” i.e. wattle & daub buildings.

In February 2026, LL introduced a five day, hands-on instructional program that taught locals a repertoire of natural building skills that are native to their land and culture. Our program collaborates with Source Farm Ecovillage, in St.Thomas, Jamaica, an organization of experts equipped to teach rural Jamaicans natural construction. Our program’s goal is for Caribbean locals to prosper through having highly-coveted climate-resilient building skills rooted in their existing ancestral wisdom. LL combines grassroots disaster relief with ecological architecture to build long-term community self-reliance. The initiative works toward three main goals: (1) expanding the reach and impact of LLF, (2) providing ancestral education and tools to construct hurricane- and earthquake-resistant natural homes for rural Jamaicans, and (3) restoring local agricultural systems to promote household self-sufficiency and food security.

The first cohort from western parishes achieved a 100% completion rate and established an active peer network to share skills and coordinate community-led builds. Following our successful inaugural cohort, the demand for this initiative is undeniable. Members of our first cohort remain in constant communication with Liberated Lands, actively inquiring about when the program will run again for their family members and neighbors to join.

Immediate, Real-World Application:

Knowledge only survives when it is actively applied to real life. We are ensuring this ancestral knowledge transitions immediately from mind to physical reality by building a model small-scale structure for a selected local participant in Cambridge Jamaica. This ensures that the training doesn't end as a theoretical exercise.

The physical dwelling built through this pilot directly resolves the housing crisis for our participant while creating a visible, living proof-of-concept for the entire community. Building a single earth home makes a strong statement, but seeing natural, climate-resilient homes successfully built across the community completely changes what local residents realize is possible.

This initiative has the utmost potential to scale across the rural parishes of Jamaica and the entire Caribbean. Thus far, Liberated Lands raised $24,000 out of our $60,000 goal. We are grateful for the success we've achieved. Consider being part of this change for the better and assist Liberated Lands' greater impact with further funding. The paths forward are clear, tested, and ready for further implementation.

Liberated Lands Rebuild Jamaica Initiative

Our program’s goal is for Caribbean locals to prosper through having highly-coveted climate-resilient building skills rooted in their existing ancestral wisdom.

Team Members