Feeding ourselves finding ourselves and restoring dignity to ourselves as human beings

Young Jamaicans might not be learning much about the importance of self-reliance This is preparing them for a cycle of poverty.

Who is protecting children from this increased vulnerability?

“Let the Law take its course” Rupert Clarke was caught by the police, so we have a case against him. The police told us that they saw Rupert Clarke in his parked motor car in a compromising position with a 15 year old girl. In Jamaica it is illegal to have sexual intercourse with a …

People

Th common factor  is people. How we are. How we relate to each other. Some months have gone since i have posted. Many lessons have accumulated though and when i spread them out on the table i see that the common factor is people. If the problem is economic, you will find that it is …

Going back to clean

I am going back to the ISL to clean. Not that I didn't clean before. But i am thinking about what happens next. I have been away for 6 months and although things are basically the same way things have changed. Uche has been mainly responsible with Tony and Christie supporting him while i was away. …

How can we fix the volunteer problem at the ISL?

We have problem at the ISL . We cannot get any volunteers from the Alman Town community which is closest to the ISL and where most of the young people and adults who use the ISL live.  We are also not getting volunteers from outside the community to work with us at the ISL. Sometimes …

Leadership and Programme Development at the ISL

Uche is in charge at the ISL. That is what I tell everybody who asks about the ISL. I could still run the ISL because I started it but the ISL is about social leadership, developing talents, nurturing talents and encouraging growth. Being equal participants and facilitators for a better reality. I never asked Uche …

Who does social work? Developing a diversity participation policy for working in black communities

Policy guideline 1. Race When we started the ISL we didn’t know that we would be getting requests from “white people” to volunteer. We didn’t know but somehow we should have anticipated this. Over the last year and past weeks I have had to think seriously about people wanting to volunteer with the ISL. The …

Where are the community Sports Programmes in Jamaica?

I met 3 former student athlete at Di ISL. One guy used to play football for his school. His team was celebrated when against the odds, they reached the finals of the first LIME Super CUP football competition that was held this year. He also plays for a club in the Premier League . He …

Discovering an African liberation philosophy and practice in maker culture

    Open letter to Tony and Christie (Facilitators of Makers Lab at the ISL) Tony ad Christie, Just wanted to say thanks you for doing such an excellent job at sharing "maker culture" and your time and interest in doing workshops and working with us in solidarity. Your work has added an interesting dynamic to the idea of community …

“You have to grow something inside them”

Uche says you have to grow something inside them. You have to grow something inside them so that when they think about doing "wrong" the thing will help them to think differently.  This is what he told me when i asked him if he thinks we can change anything for these yutes who come to …