Country-reggae singer Wesrok joined the scores of Jamaicans who have been rushing to render aid to communities in western Jamaica.
Over the weekend, the Country Boy singer deployed a small army of volunteers who visited parishes ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, distributing over 600 packages of non-perishable food, tarpaulins, canned goods and toiletries to people in St Elizabeth, and the western-most parishes of Westmoreland and Hanover.
These regions, located in southern and western Jamaica, suffered extensive damage from the Category 5 hurricane which smashed into the island on October 28.
“With the level of devastation I have been seeing on social media, I knew I couldn’t continue to live peacefully if I didn’t reach out to my fellow Jamaicans out west. I had to dig deep in my pocket with help from close friends. Our effort was entirely based on love, as we made the necessary sacrifice, food for ourselves to give to the needy,” he said.
Wesrok hails from the community of Swamp Lane in Bog Walk, St. Catherine and doesn’t have any relatives out west, but the need of the people and their suffering moved him deeply.
Donning his trademark cowboy hat, Wesrok led a team from his Wesrok Downtown Youth Foundation and ventured into a brown hellscape of downed trees, shattered light posts, smashed homes and damaged roads, populated by people who have been made homeless and near-destitute by the wrath of Hurricane Melissa.
“I have no familial connection to the western side really but when we look and see the need of the people, I had to help and the need is great, I tell you, it was tough to see it firsthand. And the need will remain great so this is just the first of my humanitarian effort from our foundation to aid our people. It was heartbreaking, when we were driving through, people were saying they want food, some even held up signs saying they needed help, food, anything,” he said.
The Wesrok Downtown Youth Foundation has been operating for over 10 years, but this the first time that the volunteers have faced a disaster of this magnitude.
St Elizabeth, Jamaica’s main agricultural source for many years, was hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa. Santa Cruz and Black River, its leading commercial centres, were wrecked while farms, homes, roads and businesses were damaged.
“The devastation wasn mind-boggling, we have a lot of work to do,” Wesrok observed.
Several of the 32 deaths the government reports were caused by Melissa occurred in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland.
A former police officer, Wesrok launched his recording career five years ago. His song, Ride Cowboy Ride, was named in the provisional list for Best Country Solo Performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
He is best known for songs such as Ride Cowboy Ride, Try to Hold Me featuring Masicka and True Love featuring Big Mountain.
