Help Jamaica! e.V.

Volunteer’s review about their time at the Center

// August 14th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

We want to share an e-mail we just received from two volunteers from California (Stephanie & Sara) after they returned home from volunteering three months at the HELP Jamaica! Education Center in Cassava Piece.

“I also wanted to attempt to express our unending thanks for allowing us to come volunteer with HELP  Jamaica!. We only contacted you about a month before Sara and I were set to arrive in Kingston… and who knew how wonderfully it would work out!

After our first day at the Center, Sara and I came home and she immediately said “That was amazing! This is what I came for.” After that first day, everything fell into place. All the staff at the Center helped us get through any issues we had, personally checking with us to make sure that everything in our lives were going well. We formed close bonds with the staffers and regular volunteers like Maja and Susann, making each volunteer day a joy. Sara and I were talking about everything, reminiscing about the fun times at the Center, and we wondered why we only came four days a week? By the time Sunday rolled around we would be complaining about how we missed the kids anyways and not wanting to wait until Tuesday. Haha, I guess it allowed us to see the rest of Jamaica, and make the informed decision that 5 Cassava Piece Rd, Kgn 8  is the best place on the island!

Our best memories in Jamaica are when we would walk through the gate at 2:00pm and hear the students yelling our names in excitement for what the day held. Hugs were given as many times as wanted, because nothing beats them and we knew we would be missing them once we had to return home.  Hille, Brite, Jannika, and Nadia have been wonderful support as well. I have never worked with an organization that had such a dedicated Board of Directors, checking in with us at 10pm German time just to make that connection and thank us for our help. You all are truely devoted and have started a wonderful organization. It is sad to think that Sara and I left over two weeks ago, but each week that passes means we are closer to coming back. Mr. Palmer has been teasing us with little updates here and there, only renewing our excitement to return! We look forward to seeing all the students, staff, and volunteers again, plan more fun summer activities, and hopefully meet you all in person!

Big Up and much respect for all the hard work!”

Stephanie and Sara

Pictures from Stephanie & Sara

Reggae Jam Festival 2011 – record breaking fundraiser

// August 12th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

Once again, the Reggae Jam Festival in Bersenbrück left us speechless! The festival was such a joy and additionally a really great success for HELP Jamaica! Millions of thanks to Sheriff, the promoter, for a donation of another 5.000,- €!!!

You believed in us and our idea from the start and it makes us proud that with the support of people like you, we opened the Education Center in Cassava Piece this year February! Big up to the whole Reggae Jam family! It is a pleasure working with you, your hospitality and support knows no borders!

Big up Ganjaman and Mattia (Warrior Sound) for promoting us continually on the stage. Big up Ephraim Juda for collecting donations during the set! We wish to thank the Nippes Yard Productions and Reggaeville video teams and all photographers who helped and donated their time, all artists and sounds who showed interest and promised their support and took part in our video clip, the Reggae Jam security-crew who respected and supported our work backstage and of course all the people who supported HELP Jamaica! with their donations, their cups, by purchasing a Skank ’Gullyside College’ Shirt and with heir encouragement and compliments! Thank you all – it is good to know that so many wonderful people share our vision! Together we can really make it! Education for a Change!

Due to the cooperation with the Reggae Jam and all the great opportunities they offered us, we were able to additionally fundraise 5.100,- € by collecting the deposit (beer) cups, by cash donations and at our info-booth on the festival ground. The HELP Jamaica!-team says big up and thanks to Sheriff and the whole Reggae Jam Family for the ‘unbelievable’ amount of more than 10.000,- €!!

HELP Jamaica! @ Reggae Jam 2011 – Impressions

Message from the Education Manager – The Summer Program

// August 10th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

Summer Program 2011
Message from the Education Manager

There are some opportunities that come only once in a lifetime. For me, one of these was the opportunity to come to the HELP Jamaica! Education Center and to coordinate and participate in many activities especial Summer Program 2011. The program gave me a chance not only to see Cassava Piece with the eyes of a tourist but also to personally experience its culture and to learn about its history and economics.

One of my favorite activities at our Summer Program was the team days; it is just one of many that the students have participated in thus far. It is so much fun to see how excited the students get when they discover that they will be working together as a unit, playing games using their minds as well as their physical side. Thanks to Stephani and Sara (our volunteers from California, US) for coordinating this program and getting everyone involve. The team day took place over two days and during that time an increase of 100% was seeing. A total of 52 students participate in these two days of activities. The students were divided into two teams Green and Yellow taking the official colours of the center. At the end of the day green team was awarded the winner and was presented with their cake, snacks and certificate of Excellence. The yellow team was awarded snacks and certificate of participation.

On a daily basis, our students get themselves pumped up for a variety of competitions. We’ve hosted quiz, football, reading, creativity and three-legged tournaments for both boys and girls. We’ve seeing growth in the amount of young people coming out. The National Summer Employment Workers need to be commended for their contribution to the program. Yoga Classes was a next major fun activity at the center.

Meanwhile, here at the summer program we are still busy reading, tie-dying, playing, practicing our moves for the dance show that will take place on later down in the month. Many of the other volunteers that have visited last week encouraged the students and workers alike to enjoy every minute.

I think I can say with confidence that we are all doing just that!

New photos from the center – June/July 2011

// July 29th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

Photo update  from the HELP Jamaica! Education Center, Cassava Piece.

Thanks to the whole team on the ground in Kingston for doing such a great job.  We are more than pleased with what we have created alltogehter in such a short time and we all have to remember – this is just the start!

Big up all supporters, partners, members and all the volunteers without you this wouldn’t be possible.

Education For A Change!

SummerJam donates 2510,- EUR towards HELP Jamaica! e.V.

// July 22nd, 2011 // No Comments » // News

For the 26th time the Summerjam festival was staged at Fühlinger See in Cologne on the first weekend of July – for the second time the event supported HELP Jamaica!.

Europe’s biggest reggae festival was busy raising funds, everybody on the guest list was requested to pay 5,-EUR for the good cause!

At the end of the 3-day event 2510,-EUR were collected by the promoter Contour Music and directly donated to HELP Jamaica! to support its education project in Kingston, Jamaica financially.

HELP Jamaica! is once more very happy about this successful collaboration and thankful for the generous donation.

Check the photo & video review of the Summerjam 2011 at Reggaeville.com

New charity cooperation with Jamaican graphic designer Freestylee

// June 29th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

We produced a set of  ten attractive postcards with magnificent graphic design artwork by Jamaican artist Michael Thompson a.k.a. Freestylee.

Michael Thompson is resident in the United States, when contacted with the idea of this postcard set for the good cause by HELP Jamaica! he supported it and agreed immedialety!

Check out his other excellent work on Flickr or read this blog-article about Michael Thompson.

The set of ten postcards in high quality print are gently shrink-wrapped in transparent foil.

Here is a preview of the featured artwork.

The set will be available on our website soon. Just check our webshop sometime next week.
We will announce other retailers very soon too…

Crossing musical borders – Multicultural Festival in Osnabrueck, GER

// June 22nd, 2011 // No Comments » // News

Not only reggae musicians support our organization – on June 4th it was a so-called ‘multicultural’ mix of Rock, Metal and Hip Hop & Reggae bands performing at the charity event for Help Jamaica!.

Five regional bands performed for free followed by DJ Callisto and Basement Sound who kept the party vibe until the early morning.

Organized by the senior year of Graf Stauffenberg Gymnasium in Osnabrueck a total of 4.200,- EUR (!) was collected and donated, an impressive sum resulting from both the festival and remaining money from 2009’s graduates. To enable education for those who are not as lucky as these German students was the idea behind the charity event that motived promoters Inga Gebel, the Basement sound system and their team.

Big up all the bands and DJs that performed for free that night supporting the good cause and giving the crowd a hell of a show! At the same time big up to the whole class for the generous support and especially Inga Gebel with her team and all the people that came to make the event such a success!

‘Strictly Roots’ charity dance in Bernburg, GER

// June 21st, 2011 // No Comments » // News

‘Best party in years, longtime we haven’t had fun like this!’ were the words of a patron enthused about the ‘Strictly Roots’ charity party in Bernburg, eastern Germany on May 27th.

With singer Cornadoor performing alongside Jahcasulu Movement the promoters organized a party presenting strictly fine roots reggae music. The event held at an atmospheric outdoor location by the river Saale was well-received and attracted a huge number of fans.

Exclusively all the proceeds from the charity dance were donated to Help Jamaica!.
At the end of the evening 2.111,22 EUR were fundraised and already handed over – what a success!

The HELP Jamaica! team salutes to the organizer team, the artists and sounds who performed for free and of course all the people, that turned out that night to support the good cause!

Growing number of festivals to support Help Jamaica!

// June 20th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

With the Swiss Lakesplash Festival in Twaan on the northern bank of lake Biel Help Jamaica! found another great partner to support us this festival season.

(Newsflash! the Lakesplash Production team  donated 644,39 € towards HELP Jamaica! after the festival! Big Up, for the support!)

Already since 1998 the team of reggae fans and music lovers promotes its great event attracting more and more patrons each year. Artists such as Busy Signal, Elijah and Phenomden guarantee a fine line-up of local and international reggae and dancehall acts.

Thanks to Lakesplash Help Jamaica! will be provided an info booth over the whole festival weekend on July 8th and 9th – so come by an find out everything about our organisation, our projects and how to support us!

Additionally the event will be donating a part of the revenue to our organization.

Check the line up and visit Lakesplash for a great musical weekend and to help Jamaica!

5 years ReggaeinBerlin.de – Help Jamaica! congratulates and thanks

// June 19th, 2011 // No Comments » // News

Many times promoter Perry Ottmüller and his crew of Reggaeinberlin.de have been supporting Help Jamaica! already.

On July 2nd the website will be celebrating its 5 year anniversary with a big stage show at Yaam lining up artists such as CeCile, ska veteran Dr Ring Ding and Uwe Banton. The party features a top-class cast including Puma from New York’s LP International and Berlin’s finest Supersonic, Barney Millah and City Lock.

Starting at 3pm in the afternoon fun is guaranteed from early with a beach bar, the kids corner and a wide range of sports activities and fine Caribbean and African food.

Help Jamaica! will be represented with an info booth on-site.

Furthermore ReggaeinBerlin will be donating 1€ per guest to support us – so come over to enjoy this extraordinary birthday bash!

Edit: HELP Jamaica! says ‘Big Up -ReggaeInBerlin- for a donation of 667,- €, right after the event!