A group of women roofers from across Canada, known as Summit Sisters, has travelled to Jamaica as volunteers to help fix roofs and repair homes damaged by a hurricane last year.

The group was founded in 2022 by Samanntha De Coteau, a Cree woman from Whitefish Lake First Nation in Alberta, who now lives and works in Ontario. She created the group when she needed extra help on a large roofing job, and it has since grown into a team that supports communities in need.

The group now includes 12 roofers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and seven of them volunteered to travel to Jamaica to help with recovery work. Founder Samanntha De Coteau said they were grateful for the chance to support the community, especially after seeing photos of damaged homes and families in need. Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica in late October, was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, killing at least 45 people and causing major damage.

Kit Andrew, founder of CanJam Relief Mission, invited the Summit Sisters to help with repairs. The women paid for their own flights, while tools and building supplies were covered by donations from groups like the church organization, Operation Blessing. The Summit Sisters worked on fixing as many homes as possible during their 10-day stay, saying Jamaica has given so much to the world, and it was time to give back to the island and its people.

Source: Louise BigEagle, CBC