About The Jahmeyka Project
About Us
The Jahmeyka Project is a non-profit organization run by licensed social workers and funded solely by donations, seeking to directly benefit social services and communities in Jamaica.
The Jahmeyka Project's origins began twenty years ago when Dr. Leslie Yaffa went to Jamaica as a Master’s of Social Work student. She became a college professor and created a graduate-level course that offered students an international social work experience focused on community engagement in Jamaica. After 5 years of visiting multiple agencies, providing community service to selected agencies, and experiencing the Jamaican social service culture, it was clear to Dr. Yaffa that the work, partnerships, and connections to the communities had to go beyond the classroom.
Today, the Jahmeyka Project utilizes a service-learning and educational approach to integrate with our partnerships in Jamaica. We build on critical and reflective thinking, community service, partnership responsibility, and inclusion. Through knowledge mobilization and partnerships, we are continuing to build a non-profit that will be open to all helping professions in future years who want to engage in professional training, workshops, field placements (into Jamaican organizations), outreach, and research in Jamaica.
Beyond our work on the ground, The Jahmeyka Project supports organizations in the Kingston, Jamaica area who have identified needs in their communities for goods such as school supplies and hygiene products. We also donate funds to agencies for their operating costs that are deemed to be most in need-based upon our application process.
Mission
To enhance community partnerships through a collaborative knowledge exchange as an ally with social services in Jamaica.
Vision
To foster inclusion of social services through education alongside helping professionals by engaging in mutual partnerships and communities in the Caribbean.
Not only can I clearly see the impact we are making on these communities, I can't describe how deeply working with our partners has impacted me both personally and professionally.
