Jamaica (Fusion Caribbean)
In March 2007 a team of 18 people from Australia and Canada joined with local Jamaicans to run a series of Festivals around Jamaica as part of the Cricket World Cup being hosted by the West Indies.
Jamaica is a land of significant contrast with the largest number of churches per capita of anywhere in the world. However it also has one of the highest number of gun related murders per capita of anywhere in the world, and only 15% of children are born in wedlock.
The team did a great job of working with locals to do festivals in Trench Town, Majesty Gardens, Central Village and John’s Hall (near Montego Bay). Throughout the period of the World Cup this International team, and then the local team on their own, conducted 20 festivals in 5 communities, with over 8,000 people attending. Throughout this process, local people have joined the team with renewed hope that their communities can be transformed into safe places of shared life. Hermalee, a Christian lady from Kingston who was part of the team said that “It showed Jamaica how to care for Jamaicans”. The Fusion team have now developed a 3 year plan to see the work grow across the whole island and the rest of the Caribbean reached.
Currently the Fusion team in Jamaica include David & Liz Campbell and their 4 month old daughter Zoë, Ashley Hansen, Kemar Smith, Kenny Fakehinde, Kevon Mc Leish, Patrick Dillon, Charmaine Rowe, Shemeka Jackson and Melva Wright. The team’s regular work in the area at present consists of a youth Basketball program in Kingston, bi-monthly, nation wide Day trips and festivals, a research project started in Trench Town and an Internship program to strengthen the local team.
The team is also starting After School programs for under 12’s over the next few months in Trench Town, then Majesty Gardens and finally Spanish Town.
