Well now that I'm thoroughly bummed out....
My pens, toys, and school supplies will be going directly to NEET again, and other organizations I find when back in Negril in April. My soccer balls will be going directly to Dr Feelgood's league. I still have gifts for the individuals I have met and gotten to know over the years, as well as some hotel staff, but I won't be handing things out as freely this year.
Jerms,
There is no reason to feel bummed out. By doing as you suggest, you are helping out the children in the best possible way!
Knowledge is power, and although you may not feel the instant gratification you have in the past, you will be able to smile knowing you are supporting the future.
Feel great about that!
Negril.com - For the vacation that never ends!
Hey Jerms,
How about visiting a school.
I did, and they made me Teacher for a Day!!
It was the best 8 hours I ever spent in Jamaica.
You can personally hand out school supplies to the class.
Not beggers, but students, and you can reinforce the value of an education.
They will love you till the stars fall from the sky.
Just wondering what Marko, Rob et al..... feel about this idea.
My comment about being bummed out was more about reading the article on child beggars/human trafficking. I admit to being guilty by handing out pens and such on my last two visits. I brought a few hundred with me each time and although the majority went to NEET, I did give away quite a few on the beach and on the bus ride. The first stop each time on the bus was across the street from a school, so we skipped that first beer and ran over to hand out pens to the students as they were leaving the school. It never occurred to me the potential damage I may be causing.
I'll definitely be more mindful this time around. The staff at Traveller's were great and very appreciative when we donated to them for NEET. The selfish self-gratification part of giving things away is completely irrelevant once I now know of the potential negative effects of it. If anyone knows the best way to contact any nearby schools directly, I'd love to know.
Jerms...I agree...that article is beyond heartwrenching...but incredibly thought provoking.
We have contacts for schools and I'm actually meeting with a school representative today. I would be happy to share contact information...will do this after I meet with them.
If anyone is wanting to visit a school...please set up an appropriate day and time with the school administrators...as school visits can be wonderfully educational for all those involved, but of course, can be very disruptive. I think taking your children to these schools (planned ahead) is an even better experience for all the sweet, little kiddos.
Last edited by Bnewb; 03-20-2017 at 12:39 PM.
We have brought school supplies before and brought them directly to a school. Years ago we used to bring old computer equiptment to a lady who had an internet cafe in the west end and she brought it to a school and used it to teach kids. I agree that handouts justs feeds the problem but i dont think i will ever be able to keep my lady from bringing loads of candy to give out to every kid she sees when we are out and about in jamaica lol.
You should have her read this thread, and the linked article. This really isn't some abstract idea, it's a real problem, and any and all tourists giving hand outs only contributes to the issue. I don't say that to be rude in any way, but it's reality. I won't even attempt to get involved in that TA thread, but I like to think the posters here are more receptive to the facts.Originally Posted by Irieonline
I brought stuff for the kiddos in "shanty town" once and saw the mayhem it created. That made me question it. Then, while stopping for a roadside beer on a later trip, a little girl came running up to beg a bag juice. My driver told her that she shouldn't beg, that it wasn't good. It wasn't a "leave the man alone" type of way, but more like he was trying to teach her. I took a mental note and stopped giving hand outs to the kids on the pub crawl. I accepted that five minutes of me feeling good and patting myself on the back doesn't validate reinforcing unproductive behavior.
We had a similar experience as MikeyNYC, once, while having dinner at Sweet Spice. As we were finishing up and paying our bill, the waitress told us to wait inside until our driver arrived. Thinking that was an odd request, I looked through the front window and saw a few kids outside who were watching us tourists and waiting for us leave. Our driver finally arrived and came into the restaurant and walked us to his car. Sure enough, the kids followed us asking for a hand-out. I politely said, "Sorry, I spent all my money on dinner". My driver said something harsher in Patois that sounded something like, "wash your feet and go to bed!"
Well written, Bnewb.
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