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Three-year-old Zahir Bernard wasn't on the programme or listed among the graduates from the Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP), but his presence at Friday's event held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston captured hearts.

Sitting calmly on the lap of his mother, 29-year-old poultry farmer Measha Gay Wright-Bernard, Zahir watched as she celebrated another milestone on her path as a growing entrepreneur.

While Zahir may be too young to fully grasp what was happening, his mother believes he was part of something bigger.

"All of what I'm doing is to ensure that whatever legacy I'm building is so that he doesn't have to face some of the challenges I'm currently encountering," Wright-Bernard told THE STAR.

She was the only graduate at the ceremony accompanied by her child, a fact that didn't go unnoticed.

"I have a village, but mom was in St Ann and other family members weren't available, so I had to take him with me. If I had sent him to school, there would be nobody to pick him up on time. So I asked the 4-H executives if I could bring him and they said yes."

The RYEEP programme is fast becoming the gold standard for youth entrepreneurial training and empowerment. Participants completed rigorous training in life skills, business development, and agricultural best practices.

Hailing from Islington in St Mary, Wright-Bernard's connection to agriculture runs deep.

"I grew up around agriculture. I did agri science in high school and then went on to Ebony Park HEART Academy for agri-food processing," she said.

That foundation led her to the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), where she first completed an associate degree. In 2022, she returned to CASE to pursue general agriculture studies, with the aim of eventually enrolling in the bachelor's programme in agricultural production and food systems management.

"It hasn't been easy, but God always provide," she said.

Her education has been funded by sheer hustle, scholarships, and grit. Beyond school, she has built a thriving poultry operation. With only $75,000 in her pocket, she acquired 100 broilers chicks and 20 bags of feed. She reinvested profits and expanded her business, purchasing layer birds from Ebony Park to diversify her offerings.

Her ambitions now stretch well beyond fresh eggs and poultry meat.

"I want to go into value-added products, marinated meats, sauces, jams, jellies and more," she said.

Similarly, Wright-Bernard has her sights set on having a certified slaughterhouse, which she said would be a big boost to her business.

"Not having a certified slaughterhouse has been my biggest setback. People are sceptical about meat from backyard farms and that's understandable. You want people to know your meat is safe. So I've gotten the blueprints for a slaughterhouse from the Ministry of Health, but I just don't have the funds to build it yet."

Her goal is to have her meat stamped, certified, and ready for broader markets.

"I'm working extremely hard to get there. I want to take my backyard farm to a broader scale."

Throughout it all, Wright-Bernard leans on the unwavering support of her husband, siblings, and even Zahir.

"They're always supportive because they know how goal driven I am. I know that if more people had the support I have, they'd be so much further in life. I don't take it for granted," the young entrepreneur said.