In a powerful display of collective purpose and community impact, two Jamaican community organizations – Friends of Porus (FOP) and Give Back Jamaica (GBJ) – have wrapped up a multi-faceted outreach mission in May 2026 that delivered critical support to students, healthcare providers and rural families across the island. The initiative paired targeted literacy advancement for young primary school learners with the donation of life-saving medical supplies to under-resourced rural health facilities, addressing two of the most pressing needs for marginalized Jamaican communities.
The educational pillar of the mission aligned with Jamaica’s annual Read Across Jamaica Week, and expanded FOP and GBJ’s reach through a new collaboration with Winsome Wishes for Kids, a 2020-founded nonprofit focused on closing literacy gaps for Jamaican children. Over its five years of operation, Winsome Wishes has built a strong reputation for delivering tangible results by providing tailored learning resources and targeted support to students struggling with academic barriers, making the organization a natural partner for the literacy drive.
For Friends of Porus, expanding access to educational tools remains a core organizational priority, according to FOP Vice President Vassell Ogilvie, who also serves as founder and CEO of New York-based Hudson Valley Dynamic Counseling, the primary funder of the 2026 mission. “Education is far more than textbooks and lessons – it is the most transformative gift we can offer a young person,” Ogilvie shared in an interview during the outreach. “When we put locally authored books in the hands of Jamaican children, we are not just teaching them to read. We are opening doors to new opportunities, sparking their imagination, and laying the foundation for lifelong success. Every child, regardless of their geographic or economic circumstances, deserves the tools to learn, grow and chase dreams bigger than their current surroundings. Participating in Read Across Jamaica Week is not just a one-time donation drive – it is an investment in the future of our nation.”
Ogilvie also credited GBJ President Hopeton Brown for forging the cross-organizational partnership that made the widespread impact possible. “Meaningful community change never happens in isolation. It only comes when groups set aside individual goals and come together around a shared mission to lift people up,” he noted. “We are deeply grateful to Mr. Brown and the entire GBJ team for creating spaces for organizations like Friends of Porus to contribute to collective service for the Jamaican people. These partnerships let us extend our reach far beyond what we could accomplish alone, so we can make a real difference where need is greatest.”
Three rural primary schools – Broadleaf Primary School, Harmons Primary School, and Porus Primary School – were selected as beneficiaries of the literacy initiative. Each institution received a curated collection of books written by Jamaican scholars, donated to the schools’ libraries to expand student access to diverse, locally relevant reading material. All book acquisition and distribution costs were fully covered by Friends of Porus as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to advancing educational equity across rural Jamaica.
After completing school visits and book presentations, the joint delegation shifted its focus to strengthening rural healthcare, delivering a large shipment of much-needed medical supplies to two community facilities: the Bog Walk Health Centre in St Catherine and the Porus Health Clinic in Manchester.
The first healthcare stop at Bog Walk Health Centre drew widespread local media attention, with popular broadcaster Roger Hasfal covering the donation live on IRIE FM’s long-running community program *Come In Unity*. During the segment, Hasfal interviewed frontline healthcare workers and special guest Eric Donaldson, the iconic Jamaican reggae artist and GBJ’s official celebrity ambassador. Widely known as Jamaica’s “King of Festival Songs” and creator of the global classic *Cherry Oh Baby*, Donaldson has long used his platform to advance charitable work that benefits communities across the island, and he joined the delegation to highlight the importance of the outreach mission.
The following day, the team traveled to the Porus Health Clinic, where a second shipment of medical supplies was delivered to clinic staff, who greeted the donation with gratitude for the support that will directly benefit thousands of local residents relying on the facility for care. All medical supplies distributed across both sites were shipped from the United States and fully funded by Hudson Valley Dynamic Counseling. Organizers also extended special recognition to individual donors, particularly Beverly Graham, whose significant financial contribution was a key factor in the initiative’s overall success.
Leaders from both FOP and GBJ reaffirmed their long-term commitment to advancing educational equity, strengthening rural healthcare systems, and building sustainable cross-organization partnerships that drive lasting positive change for Jamaicans across all regions of the island. As the two groups plan their next round of outreach, they say they hope their work will inspire other individuals and organizations across Jamaica and the diaspora to invest in community development, proving that collective action around a shared purpose can deliver meaningful, transformative change for those who need it most.
