by David King
Introduction
On 5th
March 2003 I was one of 6 delegates travelling from Manchester to
Jamaica on a Christian Aid Supporters’ Tour. One of
our first visits was to S-Corner Clinic and
Community Development Organisation (SCCD)
in Bennett Lands, Kingston. SCCD
was first set up as a Clinic in 1990 by a local Doctor and a
United States Peace Corps Volunteer, to meet the health care
needs of the community, which it continues to do today through a
volunteer doctor and volunteer nurse. However, it is also
now helping to meet some of the other needs of the residents of Waltham Park and Bennett Land, through various self-help initiatives
and programmes of health education and sanitation.
As we
neared SCCD (so named because it is located near the corner of a
road with an S-shaped bend), the roads became increasingly
rougher and the part of St Josephs Road where SCCD is located, is
extremely rough; in fact, we were contemplating whether or not
the taxi should drive all the way down it, which the driver
insisted on doing. As we got out of the taxi, and I
surveyed the road we had just travelled down, I could not help
but wonder, “What sort of person would I be, had I grown up
in such an environment?” I instantly saw the
connection between an unhealthy environment and an unhealthy
lifestyle. Thankfully, some road works were taking place
whilst I was there!
On the
particular day and time we visited, there were no activities
going on, which afforded us the rare privilege of having an
audience with most of the key staff (including the manager
Claudette Wilmot), all in one room, at one time. Through
conversation with the staff, I soon discovered that although violent crime took place in Bennett
Land, it was not normally related to drugs or gang warfare, but
more to an environment of poor housing, poor education, poor
sanitation, poor health and the very poor prospect of ever
getting out of the poverty cycle! I further learnt
that the average wage in Jamaica (not the
minimum wage, I hasten to add) is $50 (US dollars) per week! Therefore, there is
little opportunity to get out of the poverty cycle, in a land of
high unemployment. I am told that in some parts of Kingston
there are ‘Dons’ - male authority
figures who dominate certain areas of territory. However,
it was pointed out by a member of SCCD staff, that Bennett Land
does not have a culture of gangs and Dons, (although an
individual may occasionally assume such a role). Instead,
the strife which takes place is between what I would describe as
factions, based on the lane (or sometimes even part of a lane) on
which one lives.
To
help deal with this problem, a member of SCCD canvassed around
the area to get at least one resident from each lane or road, to
be part of a group with whom SCCD has regular open forum
meetings. Most inspiring for me, was the
fact that Claudette, a Rastafarian, was able to engage Pastors
from various churches in the local area, to help SCCD run some of
their programmes; through this initiative, Pastors began
working together with other Pastors, with whom they had not
previously worked.
One
of the ways in which SCCD are making a difference in their
community is through the use of football. A member of SCCD
staff told me that SCCD organises football tournaments between
the different factions and there is normally a cash prize for the
winning team of about ten thousand Jamaican dollars (about
£120). However, one of the reasons for the success of the
venture is that they allowed the players as a group, to set their
own rules regarding the operation of a tournament e.g. how it
should be refereed. This caused the players to feel a part
of the planning process and to feel a sense of responsibility for
their conduct during the tournament. It also saved a lot of
unnecessary disputes from arising during the tournament. Having impartial referees is also very important
for the success of each tournament, and in one instance,
two teams decided to choose a particular referee for their game,
whose sternness they disliked, but whose impartiality they
trusted. I was very impressed with this use of sport as a
means of sublimation and it seems to be working effectively in
helping to keep young men out of crime in Bennett Land.
David King
Black Majority Churches Liaison Worker for
Christian Aid
If you would like more information on the issues raised in this article, like David to share these issues at your church, or want more information on how to obtain the recommended films, please e-mail: dking@christian-aid.org or call 0161 273 3647
Click here for more information about the trip to Jamaica
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