Bongo Cecil Home Construction

Word Sound Power Collective is raising money to build Rastafari Elder, Ancient Bongo Cecil, a new home.

Ancient Bongo Cecil is 87 years old. He was born in the Parish of St Elizabeth Jamaica and accepted the Rastafari livity in his early 30’s. In 1957 Bongo Cecil came to Montego Bay to seek employment and rented a half room at a place known as Rocky Point in the Community of Granville. The weekly rent was five shilling. The Incient was a resident in Granville from 1957 to 1960. He was working outside the parish of St James doing sugar cane harvesting, land clearing, wood chopping, pit digging, field plowing and any work that demanded physical strength. After 4 years living in Granville, Bongo Cecil gave up the half room and returned to his hometown of St Elizabeth to seek employment using the machete pickaxe and fork in his community and adjoining parishes.

After many years, Bongo Cecil returned to Granville St James and took up residence in the kitchen on the Pitfour Nyah Binghi Grounds which was the only place available. He didn't have a room or bed, just three slabs of hardwood that he used as seat during the day. He used the general fireplace in the kitchen for cooking.

After a few years, Bongo Cecil was offered a sleeping space in the Nyah Binghi office on the property. Unfortunately, he got injured when pushing a wheel borrow of debris and was hospitalized at the Cornwall Regional Hospital. After he was sent home from the hospital the Ancient was not able to continue living in the office.

With the approval of the Property Manager and Ancient Bongo Isaac with the charitable contribution of Word Sound Power Collective (WSPC) a small room was built that shared 2 sides of the man quarters on the Nyah Binghi grounds. The room did not have an independent roof and was enclosed under the roof of the building. Ancient Bongo Cecil has been living in this temporary structure for seven years.

The Granville United Providence Society offered a parcel of land and Word Sound Power Collective agreed to begin fundraising to build Ancient Bongo Cecil a permanent home.

You can make a difference by donating today to Word Sound Power Collective.

The Word Sound Power Collective's mission as a non-profit organization is to organize and mobilize the Rastafari community and other like-minded people to provide support to Rastafari Elders at home and abroad. This support includes providing basic needs like food, clothes and shelter as well as needs of a medical nature. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the hungry be fed, the naked clothed, the sick nourished, the aged protected and the infants cared for.