One Love, One Future: Let's Unite For Jamaica!
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One Love, One Future: Empower Our Youth, Honour Our Elders, and Uplift Rastafari!
Greetings,
My name is Marcia Cunningham, affectionately known as Sister Marcia to most people, and I am the Founder of Black Mama Earth Ltd.
I have returned from Jamaica but still need your help to continue the journey, I will not let Jamaica Customs deter me from helping others.
I am proud to be African by way of Jamaican roots, and I lived in Montego Bay, Jamaica for over 19 years. I am currently based in London, England, and I have been working with Centric Community Research Organisation for over 1 year. We are establishing "CenGiving Jamaica", supporting grassroots initiatives across Jamaica.
Over 3 years ago, I founded Black Mama Earth Ltd, a Social Enterprise in London, to facilitate projects that benefit our youth, our elders, and our underprivileged family of African and African-Caribbean descent, especially our Rastafari and the Maroon Community based in the UK and Jamaica. We actively work in schools, community and rehabilitation centres, hospitals, and prisons offering palliative care.
On my recent trip to Jamaica in May 2024, I visited primary schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), The Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society (RCGBS) & Elders Home, Chance Rehabilitation Center & Day Care Facility, the Maroons in Accompong Town (my first visit), and various farming communities, to whom I pledged ongoing assistance and support, following the relationship I have been building and nurturing for over a year and the supplies that I had already donated to them during my May visit.
See our blog for more information: https://centric.org.uk/blog/cengiving-in-jamaica-with-sister-marcia-cunningham/
Upon my return to London, I prepared the barrels to be shipped to Jamaica with various items for the community, including clothing, heavy-duty incontinence pads, farming gear and equipment, school uniforms, seeds for farming, school materials and supplies. When I was about to ship the barrels, Hurricane Beryl struck Jamaica, and delayed but did not deny my plans! The Hurricane Beryl Emergency Relief Fund provided by the Jamaican Government and various fundraisers taking place to help the community as a direct result of Beryl are fantastic, and I encourage us all to support them. I also ask you to please bear in mind that the children, elders, and brothers and sisters that I have been supporting with financial and physical assistance have had to endure and overcome significant challenges before Beryl hit, and they are now facing even greater uncertainty and difficulties ahead, because of the effects and aftermath of the Hurricane.
It is for this reason that I have stepped up my plans of action, and I am asking you to please lend your support. I urgently need your help to provide relief now as well as to be a crucial part of the long-term rebuilding and growth effort.
Over 40 boxes, 2 suitcases, 3 large plastic containers, 4 extra large bags, and 6 smaller bags were all sent to the wharf in the crate today (23rd July 2024) to be shipped to Jamaica.
I am raising £19,000 and 100% of the funds raised are supporting the following:
- Lyssons Primary School & Pear Tree River Primary School in St. Thomas with The Growing Minds Initiative - empowering 75 children with special educational needs and disabilities through gardening, growing their own produce to be self-sufficient and reliant, and school/educational supplies.
- Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) - supporting rural women and farmers with the equipment and knowledge to be self-reliant, and successfully set up, run and scale their agricultural and fishery businesses.
- St Ann Farmers - empowering our Rastafari farmers with the equipment and protective gear to be self-reliant, and successfully set up, run and scale their agricultural and fishery businesses.
- Melbourne Avenue Youth Club in Montego Bay - supporting young men who are farmers with the equipment to continue to feed the local community.
- The Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society (RCGBS) & Elders Home - established in Norwood, St James, it is the home of the survivors of the terrible events of ‘Bad Friday’ in 1963 in Coral Gardens, Montego Bay, in which scores of Rastafarians throughout Jamaica were detained, killed and many tortured by the police and military forces following a riot in the community.
- Black Fathers' Solidarity Initiative - established in Montego Bay with a view to becoming a nationwide supportive network for Black fathers, fostering a sense of community, providing resources for personal and professional growth, and advocating for policies that support family stability and equality.
- Chance Rehabilitation Center in Unity Hall, Montego Bay - supporting those with special educational needs in the Daycare Facilities as well as those on their journey overcoming drug and alcohol addiction.
- Maroons in Accompong Town - offering tangible support to the Maroons, who have proudly maintained their independence from the British.
- The Clean Beaches Initiative & Mayor Richard Vernon of Montego Bay "Step UP Initiative" - waste management programmes to educate children at schools and the masses about proper and effective waste management practices, including recycling.
The £19,000 funds raised will be allocated as follows:
- £1,200 is needed to cover the cost of the current crate being shipped - this is urgently needed by Friday 9th August 2024
- £5,800 is needed to cover the cost of purchasing and transporting to Lyssons Primary School & Pear Tree River Primary School supplies, including books, uniforms, geometry sets & calculators, seeds and equipment for school gardening and growing food, stationery, and new iPads with covers and charging accessories.
- £4,100 is needed for RADA to cover the cost, of transporting and installation of the irrigation system to assist the female farmers.
- £3,000 is needed to cover the cost of buying and transporting a fridge/freezer and cooker to provide better meals, clothing, laundry facilities, and heavy-duty incontinence pads to those who attend the Chance Rehabilitation Center & DayCare Facility.
- £2,000 is needed to cover the cost of buying and transporting the 2 Heavy duty Rotavators to the Rasta Bredrens St. Ann Farmers and the Farmers of the Melbourne Avenue Youth Club.
- £700 is needed to cover the cost of buying and transporting clothing, toiletries, and food items to Accompong Town.
- £700 is needed to cover the cost of buying and transporting clothing, toiletries, heavy duty incontinence, and food items to the The Rastafari Coral Gardens Elders Home.
- £630 is needed to cover the cost of spray painting, adding the logo, and transporting the 18 barrels, where 8 schools and Sunset Beach in Montego Bay will each receive 2 barrels each for the waste management initiatives in partnership with the Mayor's "Step UP Initiative" and the "Clean Beaches Initiative".
- £520 is needed to cover the cost of buying and transporting clothing and additional farming equipment to the Rasta Bredrens St. Ann Farmers and the Farmers of the Melbourne Avenue Youth Club.
- £350 is needed to cover the cost of buying and transporting clothing, dominoes packs, and gift bags and gift items for tournament winners for the Black Fathers' Solidarity Group operating nationwide.
Every donation, whether it's £5, £10, £20, £50 or more, makes a significant difference and has a positive impact.
The more of us who share this campaign with our friends, family, and social networks and actively support it, the better chance we have of reaching and even exceeding our financial goal, and therefore realising our mission.
We will keep you updated with regular updates regarding the progress made, so you can see and know firsthand how your support is actually benefiting the Community.
We are deeply grateful for your love and support; on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Jamaica and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. It is our collective kindness and generosity that can turn the tide.
Remember, "One Love, One Future: Empower Our Youth, Honour Our Elders, and Uplift Rastafari!"
Sister Marcia x
UK Social Enterprise Name: Black Mama Earth Ltd
UK Social Enterprise Reg. Number: 13388142
Information
re. Centric Community Research, visit: https://centric.org.uk
Organizer
Marcia Cunningham
Organizer
England