Abacus NEWS
- Community Fund Raising Support Programme extended to USA
October 2016 – Jamaican and other supporters of the programme in the United States and elsewhere are now able to make donations or purchase tickets for collection or delivery of meals in Jamaica. A on-line payment facility is soon to be completed that will allow electronic payment by card.
- Abacus embarks on Community Fund Raising Support Programme
March 2016 – Abacus for Communities has recently embarked on monthly fund raising activities (fish fry and others) in communities where it has ongoing projects, while supporting local farming and other enterprises, with remuneration to community committees for investing in local projects or for individual assistance to its most vulnerable members. Abacus takes all of the financial risk in putting on such events and DOES NOT solicit sponsorship from, or partnership with any institution, but simply asks that individual members of institutions purchase a ticket whenever these events are held. Abacus however insists on community participation in events in order to build community cohesiveness and teamwork, as it DOES NOT condone a culture of ‘free handouts’ or ‘individualism’.
- Abacus trains Fifteen (15) Communities in Emergency Communications in past Twelve months
Abacus for Communities with support and collaboration with various partners have trained fifteen communities since January 2015, listed as follows: St Catherine – Naggos Head, Gregory Park and Newlands; Clarendon – Rocky Point, Portland Cottage and Race Course; St Ann – Lime Hall; St Mary – Port Maria, Annotto Bay and Jeffrey Town; Portland – Port Antonio area, Manchioneal; St Thomas – Johns Town and Trinity Ville; and St James – Cambridge. These communities will form part of a national corps of volunteers for Emergency Communications under the EARS programme, that is linked to essential local emergency response agencies through their various Parish Councils. See latest Abacus Newsletter .
January 2016 - Abacus and Habitat sign MOU in pact to train communities in Emergency Communications
Habitat Jamaica and Abacus have signed an MOU and already trained three communities in local area Emergency Communications. St Catherine communities at Naggos Head, Gregory Park and Newlands have already been trained and now being equipped with radios. These communities will form part of a national corps of volunteers for Emergency Communications under the EARS programme, that is linked to essential local emergency response agencies through their various Parish Councils. See latest Abacus Newsletter .
December 2015 - USAID and Abacus Team up to Train Communities in Jamaica
USAID’s COMET 2 Programme and Abacus have joined forces to train vulnerable communities in Emergency Communications to enable leadership in disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery at the local level. The Race Course community in Clarendon and Cambridge community in St James have already been trained and being equipped with radios. These communities will form part of a national corps of volunteers for Emergency Communications under the EARS programme, that is linked to essential local emergency response agencies through their various Parish Councils. See latest Abacus Newsletter .
August 2015 -
Canadian DFATD Supports Abacus’ (AfC) Emergency Communications Project (EARS)
AfC receives funds from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Development (DFATD) for the Emergency Affiliated Radio service (E.A.R.S. to support training of community members al across Jamaica for the first year. Under this project, training will be expanded to an additional (10) satellite” communities across all parishes in Jamaica, along with provision of radio equipment, for improvement of community resilience through disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery activities on a daily basis, in coordination with ODPEM, Parish Councils and affected Communities. Click here for more on EARS Project
AfC Visits Canadian EmbassyMar 2015
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AfC attends Regional Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for labeling of chemical containers Caribbean workshop, Runaway Bay, Jamaica, 3-5 September 2013.
AfC Chairman Stacey Thompson participated in this conference, where he made a presentation “The NGO perspective on GHS”, outlining how NGOs can assist with promoting understanding of the GHS, particularly for “grass roots” workers, householders and consumers, for their own protection from harmful substances. View presentation here. This conference further deepened AfC’s understanding of and commitment to the chemicals hazards agenda, for providing support to the regions responsible agencies and to regional communities, for protection against such hazards. September 2013
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AfC attends 4th Latin American and Caribbean regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), Mexico City, Mexico, 19-22 August 2013
AfC Chairman Stacey Thompson participated in this one week conference, where consultations between UNEP SAICM staff from Geneva, regional SAICM focal points, scientists and other relevant interests, donor reps and colleagues from the International “POP” Elimination Network (iPEN), resulted in the passage of important resolutions that directly affect Caribbean and Jamaican communities. This collaboration further deepened AfC’s understanding of and commitment to the chemicals hazards agenda, for providing support to the regions responsible agencies and to regional communities, for protection against such hazards. August 2013
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AfC signs MOU with National Disaster Management Agency in Jamaica
AfC has signed a MOU with the Jamaican Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to establish, train and manage a national corps of volunteers for emergency communications. This corps is expected to form the vangard for a more comprehensive emergency response capacity in every community throughout the country, commencing with the most vulnerable.
December 2012
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AfC wins first phase of US$2.4m project in Jamaica
AfC recently placed first in a bid to the “Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) for a social transformation project, targeted at a number of inner city communities in Kingston, Jamaica. This project is a part of a wider sanitation programme funded by Petro Caribe and is expected to commence soon. .
March 2012
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AfC attends SAICM, Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) meetings in Belgrade, Serbia
AfC Chairman Stacey Thompson recently participated in the first meeting of the Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) which took place in Belgrade, Serbia, from 15 to 18 November 2011. The OEWG was established by the the International Conference on Chemicals Management at its second session in resolution II/6 and considered the implementation, development and enhancement of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. Download and print latest AfC fliers being distributed here.
November 2011
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AfC develops global database for mapping community development
With its strong committment to “bottom up” community based development and to address a decades old problem of un-coordinated and under- productiveapproaches to national development, AfC has taken an initiative to develop and publish a maintenance-friendly web-based, graphic (GIS) database of all communities in LDCs across the globe, to indicate their current “development status” against agreed community profiles arrived at through participatory approaches. AfC will partner with all complementary initiatives to advocate for this database to inform ALL national and international actors for developing and funding community development projects. Find out more by sending us e-mail through “Contact Us”
October 2011
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AfC forms partnership alliance with 30 year old grass roots community organization in Bangladesh
Through its country representative Mr Tofayel Basunia, AfC has formed a partnership alliance with Debi Chowdhurani Palli Unnayan Kendra (DCPUK), for mutually supporting efforts at organizing and advocating for the needs of community members to be met as principal objectives in all global development mechanisms. Find out more about DCPUK here.
September 2011
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AfC forms partnership alliance with grass roots community in Nepal
Through its country representative Mr Anoj Chhetri, AfC has formed a partnership alliance with Pabitranagar Users Committee (PUC) in Khatmandu, for supporting efforts at meeting this community’s needs through sanitation, livelihoods and other grass roots projects. Find out more about PUC here.
September 2011
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AfC represented in Bangladesh
Mr Tofayel Basunia from Dhaka, Bangladesh has agreed to act as AfC’s focal point and main representative partner in that country. This partnership will further strengthen our Asian collaboration and advocacy towards international adoption and support for community-led development. Find out more about Tofayel and other AfC team members here.
September 2011
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AfC represented in West Africa
Mrs Akoua (Emma) Atchrimi from Dakar, Senegal has agreed to act as AfC’s focal point and main representative partner in the West Africa region. This partnership will further strengthen African collaboration and advocacy towards international adoption and support of community led development. Find out more about Emma and other AfC team members here.
July 2011
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AfC represented in South Asia
Mr. Anoj Chhetri from Khatmandu, Nepal has agreed to act as AfC’s focal point and main representative partner in the South Asia region. This partnership will further strengthen glolbal collaboration and advocacy towards international adoption and support of community led development. Find out more about Anoj and other AfC team members here.
July 2011
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AfC attends Regional Chemicals Management Conference in Panama
AfC recently attended and contributed to the Third LAC SAICM Conference in Panama on “Nano Technological Waste” between 30 May – 3 June. Download and print latest AfC fliers being distributed here.
May 2011
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AFC on Facebook and Twitter
Share ideas with us on Abacus for Communities facebook and follow us on Twitter.
May 2011
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AFC seeks Volunteers for Jamaica
AfC is looking for volunteers to participate in community projects throughout Jamaica. If you are so inclined, please contact the Director General through “Contact Us” on this web site.
May 2011
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AfC seeks funding for “GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING” Project for Community Youth
Any person or entity having interest in assisting young people in developing their own comminities and their people, principally through their own ideas and efforts, is asked to send us a message through “Contact Us” on this web site.
March 2011
- Abacus wins competitive Climate Change Adaptation Bid
Abacus for Communities has been awarded a contract to develop and implement an audit instrument for Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA) Sub Regional Focal Points as part of a programme of mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Disaster Risk Management within the region.
December 2010
- Director General appointed
Zoe (Joy) McHugh has been appointed Director General of Abacus for Communities. Find out more about her and other team members here.
September 2010
- Study into strengthening community participation in disaster management
Abacus for Communities has commissioned a study into strengthening community participation in the Jamaica disaster management framework. Find the report here.
May 2010
- Shift in focus: helping build the resilience of communities to disasters
Following the devastating earthquake in neighboring Haiti in January 2010, Abacus is shifting its focus to helping build the resilience of communities to disasters. Read more in our Current Activities and Vision.
February 2010
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