WHO ARE WE ?
A growing global network of concerned citizens and organizations, who have a committment to grass roots, bottom-up community development as the way forward for Developing Countries and who engage in these activities through collaborative partnerships with governments, industry and other civil society organizations, while advocating for this aproach to be adopted globally.
WHAT ARE WE ?
A Non-Profit, Non-Governemental International Organization, based in Kingston, Jamaica, advancing the interests of “grass roots” communities in developing countries.
WHAT DO WE DO ?
- Project Development, Management and Implementation;
- Training and Capacity Building;
- Disaster Risk Reduction;
- Disaster / Humanitarian Response and Early Recovery;
- Roster Consultancy Services for a wide range of target sectors;
- Resource Mobilization;
- Advocacy;
OUR VISION
A structured and transparent, globally adopted bottom-up approach to development, based around communities;
With safe, prosperous, stable, self-developing communities, resilient to all existing and emerging global challenges;
Where particularly the youth find opportunity and hope to strive for long and happy lives at sustainable standards of living;
Where sustainable livelihoods and infrastructure – underpinned by good governance, education and the rule of law prevail;
Where irrevocable democratic practice and community teamwork is the norm, alongside a proud culture of good morals, high standards and ethics, with wholesome values.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
“The people to business are a market, to politics, they are voters, to AfC they are family
Mainly through volunteerism, we help them to achieve independence, by drawing from their own motivations and efforts
So let us build the people and they will build their institutions “
OUR MISSION
“To support in every possible way, community based development globally, to meet and sustain minimum acceptable standards of living”
OUR OBJECTIVES AND INITIATIVES (See more details)
- Community Governance
- Community Security
- Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction
- Employment and Livelihoods
OUR SPONSORS
Our main sponsors are Abacus Thompson and A-T Solar Ltd. www.a-tsolar.com which contribute mainly towards our basic staff, equipment and accommodation costs.
Some funding is also provided through various consulting assignments, but this is not adequate to fund community projects.
Project funding is sought from various local and international donors and sources for specific projects, but this is always in short supply.
Current sponsors, clients and partners include:
Abacus for Communities (AfC) is a “Not For Profit” organization seeking to work with communities at grassroots level, in partnership with national, regional and international governments, organizations and donors, to promote the development of safe, prosperous, stable, and self-developing communities. This has been the result of the changing development needs in the Caribbean, the magnitude and impact of various disasters that have struck the region and the responses they have necessitated. It does this with a team comprising a small staff, professional consultants, a host of cooperating partners and a large and constantly growing base of volunteers, through projects involving environment, health, education, infrastructure, culture, security, rural development, disaster risk reduction and the promotion of private-sector enterprise.
AfC has a registered team of more than (50) consultants, collectively providing more than (200) years of Caribbean and international experience in humanitarian and development disciplines, including environment, climate adaptation, social and community development, among other sectors.
This team represents an expansion of Abacus Computing, Abacus Communications and Stacey Thompson Associates (Jamaica), from which it had its origins and which operated throughout the Caribbean since 1986.
From among its specialist consultants and volunteers with a wide range of skills and experiences, AfC assembles and deploys small teams as considered suitable for specific assignments.
While its traditional focus was on disaster risk management, Abacus is now more broadly engaged in all aspects of community development for the goal of preparing communities – and particularly its youth – for global challenges, while promoting a culture of long and happy lives at sustainable standards of living. It is attempting to achieve this by supporting sustainable livelihoods and infrastructure, underpinned by good governance, education and the rule of law, where a culture of wholesome morals, values and opportunities prevails.
AfC was created with a “raison d’etre” to build a model of enablement and upliftment of people (teaching to fish – men, women, youth and poor) instead of patronising them by handouts (giving them fish)…. AfC brings with a strong and unique core belief and commitment that communities must in the main, find and adopt self-development mechanisms and while working with government and other institutions, must not wait on them.
Please find more information on our History, Past Activities and Organizational Network on the following pages.