At the same time we also had to say good bye to our international volunteer Christin Franke from Germany. For three months the student from Berlin supported the team daily in reading with the kids, assisting them with homework and also keeping her own weekly Healthy Living class. Always helpful and dedicated she enriched the team with her positive spirit and will be missed not only by her colleagues but especially by the children.

As a result of our close cooperation with the initiators of this weekly event, it was our pleasure to welcome and host the Fun Friday at the Education Center in the last week of March. The kids enjoyed themselves with games, competitions such as a spelling bee and a talent show presenting their musical skills, while the parents had the greatest fun watching their children shine. Big up to the whole team and to the community members who were involved in this wonderful day!

Unity For A Cause – Education For A Change!

On March 27 we were finally ready to cut the ribbon and to introduce the new facility to our supporters, visitors and of course, the children, who had the greatest joy discovering the details. Counsellor of the German Embassy, Michael Kroener, was among the guests and opened the door together with Directors Birte Timm and Hilmar Keding, as well as our new manager Virgina Chin.

After a few speeches by the team members and impressive performances by our drama group, everybody got together to celebrate this great next step. The new room is already highly in use and hosts the daily homework center and the free adult classes in preparation for the Caribbean Examination Council Exams (CXC).

Photo Gallery: New Classroom from the start of the construction to the final opening

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The final kick-off peaked with much excitement and anticipation at sunset as the two last teams to compete were Hungry Town and Galaview. Hungry Town was the winner and took the trophy and the Ten Thousand Dollars at the end of the match with much joy from team members and followers.

The Most Disciplined Team was Glen Drive, and as was advertised, the Blackberry phone was handed over to them for best behavior.  The phone is to be used for team purposes.

3 Drama Skits were presented by Help Jamaica’s’ Drama Class teached by Ms. Timeka Campbell.  The skits were most practical and sensitized persons on various things happening in our society, like taking the local transportation system.  The skits were presented by students of the centre ages 7 – 10 years old.  They attend our daily Homework Program and are totally committed.

Come Night Time!!!!! 7p.m.  The Community Peace Dance began which involved all communities who participated in the days activities.  Drinks, Music, food and togetherness were galore.  We danced till 2.00 a.m. to the music delivered by Coppershot Disco, Chunky 4 Star and Hille (SoundQuake Sound) amongst others. “A Day and Night to Remember”

One week later we also held a Netball Tournament for the ladies of the community. The games were highly anticipated and the winner was awarded with a trophy and a cake!

Video of the Football Tournament 2012

Video showcasing the different skits performed by our Drama Class

Preparations were made the days before….

On February 9 these two talented painters from London (UK) visited to also nice up our walls in the backyard with the colourful images of a baboon and a young boy.

Both staff and visitors were impressed by the skilled art work and their loving attention to detail they showed while painting and also spray painting the motifs.

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Following the key objective to bring colour, life and aesthetic remedies to the community, Nice Up the Walls truly enriched our day with its inspiring art.

Take a look at our pictures to see for yourselves and log on to https://www.facebook.com/NiceUpTheWalls to see more of Linda’s und Louis’ work.

Both kids and adults attending our facilities are full of energy while the staff shows great team spirit and approaches fresh ideas. Thanks to the support of Food for the Poor we got an upgrade on our computer system while we are also grateful for the various book donations that reached us within the past few weeks.

Due to our steadily increasing number of participiants we especially appreciated the donation given to us by the German Embassy in Jamaica. Its generousity enabled us to build a new class room attached to our existing Education Center. After only 6 days our first construction phase is now completed with the foundation, all walls and the roof. We are looking forward to the next steps our team will be taking  in order to increase our capacity.

The pen pal project in exchange with schoolchildren from Finland is one of our most popular programs. Therefore our kids were very excited to welcome Riina visiting from Helsinki in January 17. After a tour through the premises, she and our children were eager to find out about the differences between Finland and Jamaica sharing a lively discussion. A book donation including popular Scandinavian books such as Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren marked the end of this great intercultural exchange.

Make sure you save your copy of this limited edition high-quality DIN A3 calendar. This year, we printed 1000 copies – 14 pages, offset-printed. The calendars are carefully single welded to ensure secure shipment! We ship worldwide! If you have a business and want to place a bulk order please get in touch with us!

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Get a great gift and support the good cause!

Be reminded on the beautiful island everyday by 13 exceptional photos displaying the many facets of Jamaica.

The calendar is now available at our charity web shop and at our affiliated partner shops who transfer the full proceeds towards HELP Jamaica! So it doesn’t matter if you buy the calendar here or if you prefer to purchase it at one of the supporting shops:  RIDDIM Shop, Jah Army Highwear (more to be added soon…)

100% of all revenues from selling this calendar will be used to finance the running costs and expenses, salaries, material and utility bills at our Education Center in Cassava Piece, Kingston.

Make sure you get a copy of this collectors item  – remember, if you wait too long, this limited edition might be sold out again. So come early, purchase the calendar, support HELP Jamaica!, have your X-Mas gifts ready and relax when all others run into the annual Christmas shopping chaos….

Well, the question about the people in the yard was ‘anwered’ on the same evening. Terry, Kevin and Andre (and all the neighbours) are so friendly and lovely to me, like a real family – since the first time I met them.

The “Patois Problem” is not a real problem, just if people talk too fast I understand nothing, but it becomes better and better every day.

My first day in the Center was on the Tuesday after my arriving. My welcome was so incredible. I started to help the kids with their homework first, then I read books and learned the very famous Ring Games.  The first impressions were exiting, exhausting but wonderful.

Tamar´s Art course happens every Thursday, he teaches for example to draw disney figures like Bambi, Winnie Pooh and Snow White and also how to draw faces and other things. After the first time I was a part in the course I got about 10 pictures from the kids, to hang them up in my room.

Click here for a short video of the drama course rehearsing one of their plays.

In my opinion nearly the most important thing in the afternoon is helping the kids and youth with their homework. A lot of the kids have serious problems with writing and reading.

The Reading part, however, is the main aspect everyday. I´ve never seen such an enormous interest in books before, like I see in the HELP Jamaica Education Centre. And it makes me happy to see that you can change so many things by reading books.

Saturday three weeks ago Mr Palmer, Caty; about eight kids and me went to a exhibtion at the University of the West Indies about ‘Modern Life in Germany’. They displayed a lot of typical german things like typical food, lifestyle and culture.

Yesterday we visited a Musical called “Father Ho Lung & Friends present Acts of the Apostels” at the National Stadium in Kingston. Tamar, Daren, three kids and me had the great opportunity to see this great show.

In my free time I do lots of trips, like a weekend in Portland, visiting places in Kingston, for example the Devon House or the nearby beaches. And of course I enjoy the really good dances, I just say Weddy Weddy Wednesdays , and the relaxing time in my yard in Cassava Piece.

At the end of my first month of volunteering, I just can say, I´m so happy and proud that I can be a part of HELP Jamaica! BIG RESPECT to Mr. Palmer, Daren, Tamar, Nicardo, Soyini and all the other Volunteers, you do a amazing job! Thanks for everything so far!!!! I am looking forward to the next 2 months at the HELP Jamaica! Education Center in Cassava Piece!

An ambitious project started in 2010 and only with the untiring hard work and true dedication of all those who shared the vision of creating a place of hope and change in the community, the dream could become reality!

Big up to the whole team and each and everybody who is supporting this project!
Together we did make a change already!

The 2011 – 2012 school year is already proving to be a special year. We have put all plans in place for the new and old children. Additional volunteer locally and internationally have already fall in line to visit and assist in our breathtaking work here at the HELP Jamaica! Education Center. Our newest international volunteer from Germany Eva is already experience the unbelievable joy of what it is like to work with children from Cassava Piece, Kingston. Lori, Wendy and Anne from the British High Commission office are now doing one day a week and is loving each and every second they spend here with the children.
We are so proud of the different courses we offer here at the center. Our class sizes have only double in the second week of September 2011 as more adults and teens are now hearing about the different programme and courses that we offer.

We welcome all our new teaching volunteers for the course as they have contributed tremendous to this wonderful project over the past two weeks. Ms. Wanliss our English teacher and a gifted poet and story writer have proved herself to be committed to HELP Jamaica! and she spends hours here daily reading to children. Mr. Morrison and Ms. Miller joined our team and are two young gifted people from the community of Cassava Piece and are now trained educators. They want to contribute to their community development and what better way to do so but through the HELP Jamaica! Education Center.

Check the latest pictures from the HELP Jamaica! Education Center

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Unfortunately we are short on funding in an attempt to utilise our space outside for an additional classroom to enhance our teaching, learning environment and also to accommodate more person to free education at HELP Jamaica! Education Center.

My focus for the rest of the year will be to familiarise myself with the shareholders, workers, community members, parents, volunteers, teachers, students and parents with a view to strengthening community relationship and problem solving abilities and teaching and learning in the HELP Jamaica! Education Center.  I will spend the first two months evaluating the classes, some individual/group assessment of children within the community to see where to start in ensuring that no child will be left behind. I also want do some field work in the Cassava Piece community talking, sharing, drinking on the corner, and playing a game of football with residents, visiting the different churches in the surrounding areas in an effort to capitalise on our strengths in Cassava Piece and way forward. I anticipate spending a lot of time in the community to observe firsthand will assist us on the needs/wants of the neighbourhood.

My new approach to my team members is to have and offer more in-house professional development/course available for the workers. I would also appreciate your feedback/suggestion/ideas via email, phone calls or even meetings if you have the time.