JDF brings relief, healing to children affected by Melissa

WESTERN BUREAU:

Hundreds of children and parents still grappling with the trauma left by Hurricane Melissa were offered a measure of respite on Tuesday as the Jamaica Regiment of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) mounted a major psychosocial and humanitarian outreach in Maroon Town, St James.

The outreach, in the form of a Christmas funday at the Maroon Town Community Centre, brought together military personnel, police officers, humanitarian agencies and private sector partners. They provided toys, household items, survival kits and structured play, aimed at easing the emotional strain on children displaced by the storm as they prepared for the New Year and the upcoming school term.

St James, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth were among the areas hardest hit when Hurricane Melissa lashed Jamaica’s southwestern parishes with catastrophic Category 5 winds in October, leaving homes damaged or destroyed, families displaced, and communities struggling to regain stability.

Months later, many residents remain unable to return to normal life, while children continue to experience fear, uncertainty and emotional distress linked to the disaster.

“We have decided to reach out to children because our assessment is that after Christmas, going into the New Year and approaching a school term, children will be particularly negatively impacted,” said Brigadier Mahatma Williams, commander of the Jamaica Regiment.

“They will have doubts, they will have fears, and there is still a lot of uncertainty. Some of them are still not in their own homes,” added the 2-JR Brigade Commander, noting that the initiative was driven by concern for the mental and emotional well-being of children, particularly in the post-Christmas period.

Williams said the Jamaica Regiment believed it was important to intervene at this stage of recovery to help stabilise children emotionally. “We thought it was a good idea if we could reach out to them and try to affect their mental state going into the New Year,” he said.

The Maroon Town event was one of three staged concurrently, with similar activities taking place in Frome, Westmoreland, and New Market, St Elizabeth. Williams told The Gleaner that the strong turnout underscored the value of collaboration.

“This is a collaborative effort. As you can see, there are already almost 1,000 people here in Maroon Town. For me, this is already a success, and I believe we are having a positive impact on the children,” he noted.

PLAY AND RECOVERY

Deika Morrison, executive director of Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) Caribbean, said her organisation was pleased to support the initiative.

“What we have here are a lot of activities for children. The JDF, through Brigadier Williams, indicated to me that he was very interested in having the children play, and that’s something we have supported for many years. Having the soldiers play with the children — that’s my Christmas,” Morrison said.

She noted that the event featured rides and bounce-about activities. Colouring and block play were provided through the Crayons Count programme, a project of entities which she co-founded, Do Good Jamaica and Do Good International. Toys, including Disney items delivered by a cruise ship were also distributed across all three locations.

Morrison said GEM, working as an implementing partner with local and international agencies, also distributed essential relief supplies, including shelter kits, water filters, solar lights, hygiene items, clothing, shoes and toys. She noted that many residents in the hills continue to rely on rainwater and lack consistent electricity.

She also highlighted interactive activities at the police-run tent, where children and adults were given “fake money” to “shop” for items of their choice. “Parents get to go and buy what they want. It’s really about promoting normalcy — doing the things you normally do: play, shop, hang out with your friends, laugh and joke,” she said.

Like Williams, Morrison said the strong turnout reflected both the depth of the need and the willingness of partners — including NCB Foundation, Island Grill, National Baking Company, Purity and GraceKennedy Foundation — to respond positively.

“I made a call out, telling them that the JDF would like to do this event, and everybody came on board just like that,” she added.

albert.ferguson@gleanjerjm.com