The Impact of “Edu-Drama”: It’s the Human Connection That Counts

February 7th, 2016

We know. In our search to create a more just, equitable and simply livable society, we have to continually find different, innovative ways of getting important messages across – especially to our youth. One of the ways is storytelling, a tradition embedded in the Jamaican psyche. It seems to be undergoing a kind of revival […]

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The Ubuntu Essence of Humanity Awards: We Are All Connected

December 12th, 2015

The ringing sound of drums drew me towards the auditorium where a special event was about to begin. This was no ordinary award ceremony; we have plenty of those throughout the year. This celebration held a special energy, coming from a very sad place – a candle in the dark, perhaps. And it was a […]

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Msgr. Albert, HIV/AIDS and the Need to Recommit

December 1st, 2015

At breakfast today in a Kingston hotel, a large group of Jamaicans stood for a minute’s silence in remembrance of Msgr. “Father” Albert, who had passed away quite suddenly just the evening before. His presence seemed to hover among us for a few minutes; he was a regular participant in World AIDS Day ceremonies. Last […]

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Rwandan Women: Peace Leaders, Advocates and Implementers

November 9th, 2015

“South-South” really does mean something, you know. To me, it means discovering links, parallels, connections you never guessed would have existed. You are not getting pre-packaged prescriptions from those countries to the North, while you make huge efforts to fit your own experience into the templates they offer, quite often finding them lacking. South-South is […]

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The “Forgotten Faces”: Children Isolated by HIV/AIDS

May 5th, 2015

People working in development agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tend to assign acronyms to groups of people they are seeking to support. So, here is one for you: OVCs. OVCs are Orphans and Vulnerable Children, in case you did not know. Many children are vulnerable to a range of dangers these days. They need our […]

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The Silent Community

March 9th, 2015

Sometimes the news overwhelms you, doesn’t it? It has not been an easy week for Jamaicans. Let us focus on two specific incidents, in the midst of a sea of crime and violence: the murder of two girls, Santoya Campbell in Westmoreland and Kayalicia Simpson in St. Thomas. The two cases have much in common: […]

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