Recommendations for No HUSSLE bar on beach!!

[dash]

Thanks Rob. I think everyone has a soft spot for the kids. Now here is a question that probably only you have the insight to answer. What do you consider to be the best, most efficient way or ways, to contribute to the well being of the children?

[Rob]

Thanks Rob. I think everyone has a soft spot for the kids. Now here is a question that probably only you have the insight to answer. What do you consider to be the best, most efficient way or ways, to contribute to the well being of the children?

To be frank, trying to help the children of Negril and surrounding area as a whole by buying candy bars is like spitting in the proverbial canyon. As you mentiioned, St.Anthony's would be the place that I would and do support. Father Jim raised funds at our recent Boardie Bash to which he is always invited to attend and collect donations as a legal charity.

As of April of last year, they have been serving over 150 meals a day.

Besides feeding over 50 children who cannot afford meals before school, they also have their Get Kids To School program which physically transports the kids to school for free. In Feb 2013, they were transporting 36 children to school each day. As an off-shoot of the GKTS (Get Kids To School) program, they also offer a Get Kids Registered program assisting children and parents in obtaining birth certificates and other necessary documents to attend school.

Here is a copy of their post that lets you know how you can help from abroad:

Afternoon Greetings,

Beautiful day in Negril, a little rain earlier cooled things off and it's bright and sunny again now!

Some were asking about sponsoring a child in the Get Kids to School Programme, here is the information:

Introduction
Get Kids to School is a collaborative programme which has been operated by Mary, Gate of Heaven Roman Catholic Church, The Franciscan Friars and the Rotary Club of Negril since September 2011.Whilst most education in Jamaica is provided free, the cost of travel, school meals, uniforms, books etc. is prohibitive to many families. Get Kids to School supports 40 children through assisting with these expenses, with the aim of achieving regular school attendance.

The programme is totally dependent on contributions and got underway with funds provided by the Franciscan Friars in Cincinnati, USA and their benefactors. On-going funding comes from several organisations; primarily a grant from the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Christ the King, in Western Canada,(approximately 80% of the budget), the Rotary Club of Negril and the Franciscan Friars in Cincinnati, USA and their benefactors. The programme also benefits from many individual donations and sponsorships.

The Programme
The need for Get Kids to School arose as many children were present at St. Anthony’s Kitchen for lunch when they should have been in school. It was obvious they were not attending school regularly, if at all. Meetings were held with families in the community to explain the ideas for the programme i.e., achieving regular school attendance with, it was stressed, the cooperation and support of parents. To emphasise their involvement, parents formally acknowledge their responsibility for school attendance and contribute to school expenses. The programme assists with the costs of transportation and school lunches. Outside the main programme subsidised school uniforms, shoes, books and school supplies are provided where these cost are unaffordable to families. A hungry child does not learn so the Kitchen provides breakfast on school days for all the children.

The programme supports 40 children attending 8 different schools. The gross monthly cost of the programme is US$1,500. This cost does not include the expense associated with the Hiace bus that is used to transport some children to school or the cost of breakfast.

Alongside Get Kids to School a complementary programme called Get Registered was launched, its purpose being to assist parents and children to obtain “missing” basic documentation such as birth certificates and identity cards, without which the way is barred to state aid and children face barriers to their education. The funds required are modest and met by Rotary. Get Registered has moved beyond children and adults are assisted in obtaining birth certificates, identity cards, health cards, and TRN numbers.

Desired Outcomes
While we cannot claim 100% success our impact on the local community has been profound with many children regularly attending school, growing in literacy and self-respect. Parents are learning to embrace responsibility for the education of their children. Children are being given the tools they need to move ahead in life with hope for new possibilities and a better life. The programme is young, only two years old, and it has a bright future if we all continue to work together on behalf of the children.

You can help
Contributions can be sent to Mary Gate of Heaven Church or to the Franciscan Friars in Cincinnati - 100% of your contribution go to the Jamaican mission. NOTE: US citizens get a tax deduction.

Mail a check or credit card information to Franciscan Friars, Friar Works / Ministry & Mission, 1615 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-6492 - indicate your intention for the gift.

Credit Card - Online: www.franciscan.org - select the Donate Tab and in the comment box indicate your intention.

Credit Card - Phone: 1-513-721-4700, ext. 3218.

The cost varies for sponsorship depending on the child. it is more expensive for a high school kid, for example, because of taxi costs. The cost for a high school child is USD $700 to $800 a year (at 10 months a year). That cost includes outfitting the child with uniform, shoes, book bag and some supplies. We are sponsoring currently 42 children; 18 are high school, 21 are All-Age (like elementary) and 3 are basic (kindergarten). All-Age sponsorship is about USD$600/year. Of course, one can sponsor a child for the year. Or, sponsor a child for 1/2 a year, etc. Any amount of sponsorship is very helpful.

The total projected cost of the GKTS programme for this year is USD$15,000. This does not include the cost of outfitting the child or the cost of our school operation which transports quite a few of the All-Age children. We also serve breakfast to about 50 children each morning.

Here is how Canadians can make a donation:

Make a check payable to Franciscan Friars, note the purpose of the gift, and send it to:

Franciscan Missionary Union
St. Michael's Retreat Centre
P.O. Box 220
Lumsden, Saskatchewan
S0G 3C0

Phone: 306-731-3316
Fax: 306-731-3807

The contact person is Fr. Michael Conaghan, ofm.


Thank you all who help support this much needed cause!!! Blessings!
St. Anthony's Kitchen

[Westenders]

Hi rob

Thanks for your post. I completely hear what your saying, but I would like to add that not all the children employ these tactics, not all these children don't go to school, and not all are doing it to purchase Luxuary items. I know that you will be aware of that.

I think that your post is very obviously specific to a certain group of youngsters, and it's good you have found a route in through one of the young lads.

I actually don't think that it's a bad thing that these older kids have gotten involved in tourist based economy, after all it is the major economy in Negril, but as long as they are not missing school to sell there wares.

If some are involved in selling stuff for money to buy things like a bike. Absolutely brilliant, as long as again they aren't missing school to do it. I said in an earlier post, it's the same as having a paper round or yard job to earn extra money. A bike is a productive purchase, will help them get to school even.

Maybe if there was a project to help them develop these skills productively, to equip them for work as an adult. Most of the skills they will have are already transferable into a business model.
A few years ago now I delivered a number of programmes in my city to young boys involved in dealing drugs. We worked with them on recognising the skills they already had developed in this role and helped them link into larger programmes that helped them train, develop and grow their own business with start up funding. We had some very good outcomes by working outside of the box.

Their behaviour is not the problem it's the answer to the problem.

Just to clarify that I am not some gullible tourist who feels sorry for these kids. I am new to this forum, but not new to Negril. I have lots of family and friends who live there, my husband grew up in the West End and we spend a lot of time there. We don't come there as tourists or on holiday, it's still home to my husband.
We also support people in a lot of ways when we are there, and from here. Currently building up socks and belts for st. Anthony's kitchen.
I also understand children, especially disadvantaged children, as this is my professional background.

I think I certainly have a different view point, and I don't agree with your first point that "we all care" about the children, because some of the descriptions some people have used are very negative, and see these kids as a problem without further thought than that. That's okay, People can choose their own cause to support, it's just these are children. For me that's the important point. You clearly care and are offering the everyday guidance that these kids need.
You mention buying the candy bars and trinkets as not helping these children or Negril as a whole. I do think it helps the individual children, but as a whole it would take a lot more than that to help the people living in and around Negril. This would have to be something politically driven, or driven by a pro active NGO, which is a much bigger discussion perhaps for another day.

[dash]

Westender , To use your phrase, Westender, "Don't you get it?" The beach kids were begging plain and simple. They were developing the skills of the con. You do not own all the empathy for the children of Negril. Empathy without action to resolve is hollow. To encourage the different forms of begging truly hurts the children. To assume that some people "see these kids as a problem without further thought than that" is arrogant. The begging is a symptom. Don't feed the addiction. Treat the causes. And contrary to your view I don't know one person that "see these kids as a problem without further thought than that" Not one.

[Marko]

well it comes with the territory with the hussle stuff......whether it happens on the beach or cliffs......
and as some boardie mentioned....at the more expensive places you are less likely to run into a local higgler...
but if you only want to hangout at the most expensive places....
you'll really miss out on the Jamaican experience at the majority of great places to hang in Negril.....
it's part of the Jamaican experience......some of us just deal with it better than others......lol

as far as the children go......some of also deal with them better than others......enuff said

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Westenders]

Hi dash

Oh the vent?
What you have said in your last post reinforces every point I have tried to make.
You see it your way, I see it mine.
You said the kids were trying to sell you something. Begging is having your hand out with no more exchange expected other than one party hands money over to another.
Even if they are begging as you describe it, do they deserve your anger, disdain and judgement? Wow...do they really p you off that much?

Empathy without action to resolve is hollow - not in my understanding of the concept of empathy!

I would rather continue doing as I am, helping people in individual ways where I can. That's my way. If I lived there full time I would certainly give my time freely to help in the way Rob is. I do that in small ways already, but not about to start blowing my own trumpet to prove a point. There are lots of people I know that also help communities in and around Negril, none who are members of this forum. Don't make the assumption that others aren't trying to help in different ways with different people.

Youngsters are perceptive, If you respond to them with the same negative attitude as on here, maybe that's why you get their rude 'response'. just a thought!!

As Marko says maybe some people just deal with or react to the situation better than others.

I can honestly say I have never been disrespected by any children involved in this activity, but accept that others may have had a different experience, but a few bad apples don't make a rotten tree.

I can walk through my own city centre at any point and there are young people busking to top up their income while studying, people selling a national magazine for the homeless for commission to get them off drugs and back into work, statues that are really people who jump at you and then shake a collection tin, and people selling things I don't want. All who ask me to contribute almost daily. Do I get angry, do I label them as beggars and nuisances, No! People do what they have to do to get by.

Obviously this is my own viewpoints, don't expect anyone to agree, but hopefully this debate has served a purpose and highlighted the issue for anyone who wants to do something, or not, which is fine also.
You can still respect the fact that the kids are kids, and not be so critical

[dash]

Westender, I don't know how you have managed to insert anger into this conversation. I don't know where you claim that they disrespected me. At no time did I express anger. This was my 4th trip to Negril in a year and the first time that I encountered these kids begging. And that is exactly what they were doing. As I said after presenting their 2 bracelets and receiving a "no thanks" they started to beg and were not subtle but kept following us past quite a few properties. The fellow boardies with me were seasoned beach walkers and agreed that this was new to them. They were not offering anything but a demand for money. They did not disrespect me, they begged from us after we declined a purchase. They weren't busking or selling anything else. You don't have a viewpoint. You had no view of the event. I was just relating this as it was new to me.

[booger]

Dash,
I have witnessed the same behavior over the last SEVERAL trips in 2013. First it was on the West End following the One Love bus. Our last trip in December it was on the beach as well. After I refused to buy the begging started and a drunk tourist who I was talking to handed them a baggie loaded with cash. It was all of his money and I pointed it out to him. He grabbed it back, peeled off $200J and told them to beat it. I'm sure this happens often and now these young men have turned into opportunist.

[Fred Stripe]

I used to arrest the drug dealers who don't have a job or went to school. But the funny thing was that he would "work" that corner every day on time rain/hail/sleet & snow. He wasn't too smart but could do the math to break up a pound of weed into ounces in 1 minute.

If they used all that energy on a real job they would be employee of the month.

[RyanP]

I don't consider the beachwalkers part of the "tourist economy". I buy from a few of the guys (the ones I feel aren't out to try and take advantage of the tourists). A lot of these guys (or kids) on the beach need to go, though. Giving them money, or letting them scam you, just positively reinforces what they are doing, and they will be back tomorrow.