Businessman donates $1 million cash prize to the needy

When Zewei Zheng won $1 million in NCB's Business Boost initiative, he did not hesitate to give the entire amount away.

The owner of San San Haberdashery in St Ann's Bay, St Ann, who placed second in NCB's Business Boost promotion, used the full prize to purchase essential food supplies for families still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Melissa. When asked why he made such a generous decision, Zheng's response was simple and sincere, delivered in his familiar Jamaican dialect.

"Time hard for everybody. Nuff hungry people around. We luckier than plenty. We help dem," he said. His staff members, who overheard the exchange, were not surprised. Community giving has long been part of Zheng's way of doing business. Inside his office, certificates and trophies of appreciation sit neatly displayed -- clear reminders that the success of his store has always been shared with the community around him.

Zheng has called St Ann's Bay home for 11 years and is well known for assisting parents and students at Marcus Garvey Technical High School and Priory Primary School, especially during the back-to-school season and at Christmas. This time, the million-dollar prize gesture extended that support even further. Working through an employee who assisted with translation, Zheng arranged for the food supplies to be distributed to surrounding communities coordinated with the St Ann Municipal Corporation.

The donated funds were part of the NCB Business Boost initiative, which offered $3.5 million in total prize winnings to merchants who used their NCB Visa Business Credit Cards to complete qualifying transactions valued at $120,000 or more. Danielle Cameron-Duncan, acting senior vice-president for payments and channels at NCB, said Zheng's decision to donate the entire prize reflects the deep community spirit embedded within many Jamaican entrepreneurs.

"Mr Zheng's gesture is a powerful reminder that our business owners do more than operate successful enterprises. They are deeply rooted in the communities they serve and often step forward when their neighbours are in need of support," Cameron-Duncan said.

She added that his decision perfectly captures the broader impact SME operators have on national resilience.

"His choice to donate the entire prize to hurricane affected families demonstrated the type of leadership present across Jamaica's entrepreneurial community."