January 2006 Newsletter

Looking back at the year 2005, I am pleased to report the completion of many important projects by Friends of Jamaica USA.

A change that some of you might have noticed is the change of address for FOJ to Loves Park, Illinois. If any of you have sent correspondence to the Freeport address and haven’t gotten a reply, please let me know. The post office hasn’t been the most efficient in forwarding all of the mail from the old address.

The biggest project since the last newsletter, and the one of which I am most proud, is the Neonatal Resuscitation Program in Jamaica conducted in conjunction with the Ministry of Health. It is the goal of the Ministry of Health to reduce the infant mortality rate in Jamaica, in part by improving the quality of resuscitation of newborns throughout the island. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program, (NRP) which is required by all health care providers in the US that care for newborns, teaches the skills necessary to help babies who are born that are not breathing. Through this project, Friends of Jamaica is making NRP available to all healthcare workers in Jamaica for the first time. The team of instructors for the first phase included myself, a Respiratory Therapist from Texas who has done other education in Jamaica in the past, and 2 doctors from Jamaica. In August, I traveled to Jamaica to certify as instructors Dr. Hylton, a pediatrician from Sav La Mar, and Dr. Trotman-Edwards, a neonatologist from the University of the West Indies Hospital in Kingson. Plans were made for the sessions to begin in November. I also delivered 20 NRP manuals for the training, and one of 5 manikins donated by a FOJ member.

The time leading up to the first sessions was stressful for me, as I was worried about making all the preparations “long distance” through email and phone calls. It was important to the future of this project that the classes went well, which they did. Two sessions in each region were conducted in Kingston and Montego Bay with 25 doctors and 30 nurses from 10 hospitals passing the course and getting their certificates. It was very satisfying for all the instructors to be part of this “pioneering” effort.

For the Kingston sessions, we stayed in the foothills of the Blue Mountains at a private home, hosted by a couple who had contacted Friends of Jamaica for help with a project at the Maryland Basic School nearby. The foundation at one corner of the school had been damaged by high water during the busy 2005 hurricane season that dumped a lot of rain on the Eastern part of the Island. The government agreed to provide funds to expand the school, but only after the community built a retaining wall to divert the flow of water in the future. FOJ was presented with a well-planned proposal from the community to build the retaining wall. FOJ funded part of this very worthy project, with the remainder of the money raised in the community and in Kingston. Pictures and more information on this project can be seen at FOJ At Work under Maryland Basic School.

FOJ was happy to make possible two “pass-through” grants in November. A business owner in central Illinois, Hal Harrison, who loves Jamaica and had visited the Torrington basic school outside Sav la Mar in the past, contacted FOJ with a plan for a fundraiser. He conducted a very successful fundraiser and presented a check for $3,100 to FOJ in November.

FOJ in turn made grants to the Torrington School and the Happy Hearts School. At Torrington School, an addition is being added so that children will no longer need to try to learn sitting outside under a tarp attached to the building. At the Happy Hearts School, the slope of the roof over the kitchen and bathroom was changed to prevent leaking. Also, the floor in the bathroom was raised to prevent flooding there during heavy rain. Some minor ceiling repairs were also made. I will be following up on these grants on my next trip as well as taking pictures. Watch the website for updates.

The remainder of the donation from Hal Harrison’s fundraiser was used to purchase art supplies for the first annual Kids Cards Art Day, held in Negril in November. The leader of the workshop, who holds a degree in Art and is pursuing her certification to teach art, made the 3 hour workshop fun for teachers and students alike from several schools. The art was then used to produce blank note cards which are for sale on the website. The extra art supplies were donated to the teachers who attended. This fall, we plan to hold another workshop to make Christmas cards.

In August, FOJ sent a very large shipment of used medical supplies to the hospital in Sav la Mar. (18 large boxes!!) A local trucking company took them to Florida, at no charge, and then Food for the Poor shipped them to Jamaica, also at no charge.

In closing, I would like to ask each and every one of you to look into your hearts and feel moved to make a donation. Friends of Jamaica will continue to make grants that will make life better for Jamaican children, but not without your help. The NRP project will be ongoing, with training in 2 more regions scheduled for late April. We also have many more grant requests that are waiting for funding, so please send what you can. Even the purchase of one set of note cards will help!!

Together, WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN

Marcia Burke, Director