Fighting Poverty in Jamaica

Fighting Poverty in Jamaica
AN INSIGHT INTO FFTP'S OPERATIONS

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Jamaica Poverty Rates & Trends:


17.1%

Poverty
Rate

400,000 Jamaicans live on less than $1.90 per day.


4.3%

Extreme Poverty Rate

400,000 Jamaicans live on less than $1.90 per day.


13.1%

Malnutrition Rate

450,000 Jamaican children under five face higher risks of stunted growth, cognitive issues, and illness.


$3.50

Average hourly wage

This makes it difficult for a family to live on.

Political Instability

jamaica ranks among the nations with the most pronounced income inequality globally. This stark imbalance in the distribution of wealth and earnings translates into restricted access to resources and opportunities for a substantial portion of the population. Concurrently, corruption, prevalent both within governmental structures and across various societal tiers, can siphon resources away from poverty alleviation endeavors, compounding disparities in access to essential public services.

Political Instability
Natural disasters

Natural disasters

jamaica faces natural disasters that can harm homes and jobs, especially in vulnerable areas. These disasters can also hurt the economy by damaging crops, factories, and businesses. They show that communities need better plans to prepare for and bounce back from disasters.

Food insecurity

In regions of jamaica marked by a legacy of armed conflict, rural communities frequently grapple with food insecurity. The turmoil associated with conflict disrupts agricultural activities, forces displacement from homes, and fosters an atmosphere of instability, all of which combine to hinder residents' access to and affordability of nourishing food.

Food insecurity

OUR WORK IN JAMAICA

  • 360 Tour of FFTP Jamaica
  • Bee Business Abuzz in Jamaica
  • Miss Jamaica Diaspora 2015 Contestants Visit Food For The Poor
  • FFTP Jamaica
  • Angels of Hope - Thank you from Jamaica
  • FFTP Mission Trips: Volunteers Build a House in Jamaica
  • Bees Jamaica - Food for The Poor
  • Where We Serve-Jamaica: Education -The Key To the Future
  • Jamaican students rap about flush toilet



Empowering jamaica’s journey out of poverty

Since 1982, Food for the Poor has actively fought the causes of poverty in the Caribbean and Latin America. Recognizing the urgent need for transformation, we have developed programs that go beyond immediate relief. Through community development outreach and fostering self-reliance, we provide sustainable solutions. Join us in funding these programs to turn despair into resilience, promoting health, self-reliance, and breaking the cycle of poverty with simple, effective ideas that work.

Food Assistance in jamaica

Food Assistance

Food for the Poor (FFTP) works tirelessly to combat hunger and malnutrition by providing essential food supplies to vulnerable communities. Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, we ensure nutritious meals reach those most in need, improving their overall health and well-being.

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Home Assistance in jamaica

Home Assistance

Our home assistance program is focused on cost effectiveness and agility. In a very short time span, we are able to build a home under $5,000 in a place where sourcing contruction materials is difficult and expensive. The program targets displaced population and families at risks. We keep striving to improve the performance of this program.

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Education in jamaica

Education

We’re committed to providing access to quality education by constructing and supporting schools and equipping classrooms with essential supplies. Through this pillar, FFTP aims to break the cycle of poverty by empowering children with knowledge and skills, fostering their intellectual growth, and opening doors to a brighter future.

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Malnutrition in jamaica

Malnutrition

Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, FFTP strives to improve nutritional outcomes, enhance food security, and promote the overall health and well-being of jamaicans. We implement comprehensive programs focusing on nutrition education, access to nutrient-rich food, and healthcare interventions to address the root causes of malnutrition.

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Health in jamaica

Health

We work to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, provide medical supplies and equipment and support health education initiatives. Through partnerships with local healthcare providers and community engagement, FFTP aims to enhance primary healthcare services, reduce the prevalence of diseases.

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Micro Enterprise in jamaica

Micro Enterprise

Food for the Poor (FFTP) empowers individuals and communities through sustainable economic opportunities. We provide entrepreneurs with training, resources, and support to establish and expand their small businesses. Through this pillar, FFTP is transforming lives, promoting economic independence, and paving the way for a brighter future in jamaica.

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Together We Can
Break The Poverty Cycle

Help us fund Jamaica's journey out of poverty with a donation. Together we can empower our beneficiaries to become self-sufficient and build stronger communities through sustainable development.

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Help us fund Jamaica's journey out of poverty


JAMAICA OPERATIONS HIGHLIGHTS

2022

  • Total Aid Distributed: FFTP shipped $25,659,951 million worth of aid.
  • Housing: 94 homes built for families in need of housing.
  • Education: Built, repaired or expanded eight schools.
  • Micro-Enterprise: Established three income-generating initiatives, comprising a beekeeping venture and two harvesting enterprises.
  • Water: Installed rainwater harvesting and storage systems in two schools.
  • Tree Planting: Initiated a tree-planting program focused on expanding the presence of fruit-bearing trees throughout the island.
  • Computers: Provided 68 laptop computers to children living in Angel of Hope Children’s Homes across the island.
  • Agriculture/Farming: Implemented a Climate-Smart Agricultural program for subsistence farmers, providing rainwater harvesting, storage, drip irrigation systems, and training for cultivating a half-acre plot. This initiative aims to improve farming techniques and increase income for vulnerable farmers.
  • Thatch Walk Hot Pepper Project: Implemented the Thatch Walk Hot Pepper Project, which holds the promise of transforming other farming communities.
  • Aid Containters: 27 containers shipped filled with clothing, medical and assorted canned food.

2021

  • Total Aid Distributed: FFTP shipped 485 tractor-trailer and $34,781,512 million worth of aid.
  • Feeding the Hungry: Due to the pandemic-driven food insecurity, the Jamaica office launched a distribution program across 14 parishes, serving schools, communities, churches, and programs assisting the elderly and people with disabilities.
  • Hurricane Grace and Ida: Responded with emergency aid after the island was hit back-to-back by hurricanes.
  • Education: Built, repaired or expanded seven schools.
  • Housing: 285 homes built.
  • Education: Supported 139 students were in attending school through an annual grant program covering school fees and books from pre-kindergarten to college. Additionally, awarded scholarships enabling two students to pursue medical school.
  • Micro-Enterprise: Equipped 31 beekeepers, raising the total number of participants in our income-generating project to nearly 360. This initiative enables farmers to harvest high-quality honey.
  • Food Assistance: Introduced a new income-generating agricultural program to improve farmers' yields. It provides equipment and supplies for a half-acre farm and includes a rainwater harvesting, storage, and drip irrigation system for water provision during dry periods.
  • Food Assistance: Successfully executed a project delivering chickens and fresh vegetables to the Jamaica National Children’s Home.

2020

  • Total Aid Distributed: $37,522,261 million worth of aid
  • Covid-19: Airlifted hygiene and protective gear to the island nation and implemented multiple food and hygiene programs to tackle food insecurity and safety issues. Our efforts have reached over 15,000 families through distribution packages.
  • FFTP/UNICEF Partnership: Teamed up with UNICEF to enhance water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in 19 schools located in high-risk COVID-19 areas.
  • Christmas: In December, the FFTP Jamaica team conducted a special distribution, dispersing across the island to deliver food packages to marginalized individuals in communities, spreading Christmas cheer.
  • Water Projects: Launched the Muirton Boy’s Home and West Haven Children’s Home Water Projects, incorporating water storage, rainwater catchment, and purification systems, each increasing storage capacity by 6,000 gallons.
  • Agriculture Projects: Founded the Summerfield Child Care Agriculture Project, featuring crop cultivation and an egg-laying hen coop.
  • Poultry Project: Launched the Melody House/Montego Bay Community Home for Girls Poultry Project.
  • Aid Containters: 35 tractor-trailer delivered filled with loads of medicines, medical equipment, and supplies to clinics and hospitals island-wide. Additionally, distributed durable medical equipment like walkers and wheelchairs to those in need.

2019

  • Total Aid Distributed: FFTP shipped $51,393,049 million worth of aid.
  • School Agriculture Program: Food For The Poor donors generously support a program for junior high school students in Jamaica. It includes a greenhouse for growing peppers, spinach, and beans, along with a chicken coop housing 93 chickens for egg production. This hands-on initiative provides valuable experience in crop cultivation and animal husbandry.
  • Water: Supplied water-catchment storage tanks and filtration units to institutions including Reddies Place of Safety, The Nest Children’s Home by the Salvation Army in Kingston, Sunbeam Boys Home, and Yadel Children’s Home in St. Catherine.
  • Chicken Coop: Provided broiler and layer-hen coops to the Strathmore Gardens Children’s Home.
  • Medical Highlights: 66 Tractor-Trailers shipped filled with medicine and medical supplies.

2018

  • Total Aid Distributed: FFTP shipped $98,452,626 million worth of aid.
  • Medical Highlights: 64 Tractor-Trailers shipped filled with medicine and medical supplies.

2017

  • Total Aid Distributed: FFTP shipped $99,858,740 million worth of aid.
  • Schools: Made history in Jamaica by constructing 100 schools within a five-year span, made possible by the generous contributions of donors from the United States, Canada, and Jamaica.
  • Medical Highlights: 64 Tractor-Trailers shipped filled with medicine and medical supplies.

2016

  • Total Aid Distributed: FFTP shipped $73,263,492 million worth of aid.
  • Medical Highlights: 80 Tractor-Trailers shipped filled with medicine and medical supplies.

2015

  • Wortley Home: Following a destructive fire, FFTP rebuilt Wortley Home, originally established in 1918 to support vulnerable girls in Kingston. The new two-story facility can now accommodate 32 girls, up from 24. It features upgraded amenities such as two 16-bed dormitories, a sick bay, a computer-equipped study room, and separate accommodations for the house mother and staff.

2000

  • Micro-Enterprise: Established the inaugural fishing village in Jamaica, equipping local fishermen with boats, engines, fishing gear, and storage facilities.

1998

  • Prison Ministry Program: Launched the FFTP Prison Ministry Program, helping nonviolent prisoners reenter society. To date, it has paid fines for 743 individuals and assisted over 8,250 ex-inmates with income-generating ventures like welding, carpentry, farming, and tailoring.

1983

  • FFTP: FFTP-Jamaica was founded and stands as the largest charitable organization in Jamaica.

1982

  • FFTP: FFTP was founded, and Jamaica became the first country to receive aid from the newly established charity.

Impact Another Person’s Life with Dignity and Care

Help us fund a family’s journey out of poverty with a donation. Browse through our gift catalog to provide immediate relief, bolster self-reliance, or bring hope. With a simple act of solidarity, you can truly impact someone’s life for the better.

  • Feed a Hungry Family for a Month
    Feed a Hungry Family for a Month
    $27.00
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  • Help Build a House
    Help Build a House
    $4,900.00
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  • Feed a Child for a Year
    Feed a Child for a Year
    $80.00
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