Jamaica
Sustainability
Mustard Seed Communities is turning to the sun to power its mission of compassionate care.
Jacob’s Ladder, MSC’s home for hundreds of individuals with disabilities located in rural Moneague, Jamaica, is expanding its use of solar energy in an effort that’s fiscally responsible, environmentally sustainable, and critical to ensuring consistent, quality care.
Key Takeaways
- Mustard Seed Communities expanded solar power at Jacob’s Ladder in Jamaica to provide reliable, cost-effective energy that supports consistent, high-quality care for adults with disabilities.
- Jamaica’s reliance on oil and gas makes the island vulnerable to power outages, especially in rural areas; solar energy helps MSC overcome these challenges and reduce operating costs.
- Through strategic partnerships, MSC is combining environmental sustainability with compassionate care to improve residents’ quality of life and build a more resilient future.
With sunshine nearly every day of the year, Jamaica has abundant potential for solar energy. Despite this natural advantage, in May 2025, data from Electricity Maps show only 2.99% of the country’s electricity comes from solar power.
The vast majority of Jamaica’s electricity is generated from oil and gas, making the island vulnerable to high costs and supply disruptions. Frequent brownouts and limited grid access in rural areas leave many communities without reliable power.
This vulnerability became especially clear during Hurricane Beryl in 2024. In the hurricane’s aftermath, Jamaica Public Service shared that 65% of its customers, or 400,000 Jamaicans, were left without power.
Our community at Jacob’s Ladder, however, kept its electricity throughout the hurricane because of solar power.
“Reliable electricity for our community isn’t optional—it is essential,” Fr. Garvin Augustine, executive director of MSC International said.
“It keeps medical equipment functioning, food refrigerated, lights on, and our residents safe and comfortable. Solar power helps us guarantee that we are providing the very best of care.”
In addition to being a consistent source of power, solar panels reduce MSC’s operating costs, freeing up resources to invest directly in resident care. Now that more Jacob’s Ladder residents enjoy the invaluable benefits of solar power, including access to hot water and sustainable electricity in their cottages, their quality of daily life is significantly improved.
For one visitor to Jacob’s Ladder, solar panels were an obvious need—and he helped to fill it.
I saw [Jacob’s Ladder], I experienced it, and it made me recognize that need. It hit me and I couldn’t get it out of my mind.
Mike Ayers, CEO of WatershedGeo
Ayers first encountered MSC through his community at St. Brigid’s Catholic Church in Georgia. As the co-founder and experienced engineer at WatershedGeo, a global environmental and energy infrastructure company that develops technologies to address complex engineering challenges, he created an opportunity to unify his technical expertise with his commitment to serving those in need.
“I like Mustard Seed’s approach to never turn anyone away—but that requires a means to make sure they can take care of everyone. Helping to provide electricity was a way I could be a part of that,” Ayers shared.
Through this collaboration and the work of a local contractor in Jamaica, six additional photovoltaic solar panels were installed, serving each of the villages at Jacob’s Ladder as well as Saint Andrew’s Formation House.
At Mustard Seed Communities, financial and energy efficiency support compassionate care.
By reducing costs and ensuring uninterrupted power, solar energy helps MSC ensure that our commitment to care for children and adults with disabilities their whole life long will continue for years to come, even in the face of natural disasters and a changing climate.
Beyond providing care, MSC strives to create a nurturing environment where joy and dignity thrive. Investing in solar power is just another way Jacob’s Ladder can thrive, as observed by Ayers:
“When you visit Mustard Seed, there is a strong presence of joy provided by the love and care of the community itself and the incredible staff. If happiness is the measure of a good life, then I can tell these kids and adults are blessed with incredible one. They’re not just given a way to survive —they have latterly been given a life by MSC, a meaningful and happy life. And everyone deserves that.”
Efforts like the Jacob’s Ladder solar project are the result of strong partnerships and community support that sustain MSC’s empowering mission. Mike Ayers helped to provide the necessary expertise and resources to kickstart this strategic priority. The goal is to systematically make all MSC’s locations run on solar power for a sustainable, resilient, and bright future.