Women’s Health Network Jamaica (WHNja) was founded by Dr Rudolph Stephens in March 2013. It’s a community-based, non-profit, non-political charity and, since its inception, the NGO has provided health and social care services to families in underserved communities. The organisation’s credo —“women’s health is men’s health; it is the family’s health and the country’s wealth” — is the overarching maxim for the projects and programmes that it undertakes. Now members of the Jamaican diaspora in the United Kingdom can participate in the WHNja mission.

On Wednesday, June 13, the WHNja launched its UK chapter at London’s Millennium Gloucester Hotel. The event was chaired by Dr Lola Ramocan and conducted in the presence of His Excellency Seth George Ramocan, Jamaica’s 13th high commissioner to the United Kingdom. Some of Jamaica’s best were on display. Professor Rosalea Hamilton, Vice-president of community service & development, University of Technology (UTech), delivered the keynote address. Veteran singer JC Lodge, saxophonist Millicent Stephenson and popular Jamaican deejays Equation Roadshow entertained guests. There was a tasty Caribbean buffet and St Elizabeth-born British businesswoman, philanthropist and Caribbean art collector Theresa Roberts was officially declared patron.

The WHNja team is doing “great work in Jamaica, including my home parish of St Elizabeth, in conducting health and social needs assessments of communities”, Roberts said. The UK chapter has adopted the WHNja flagship project “Just 1 Girl”. This programme mentors teenage girls who already have one child and seeks to improve their education, welfare and future opportunities before they attempt to have a second. The WHNja UK chapter will draw on the experience of the large number of Jamaicans who already work within the country’s National Health Service and anticipates the “cross-fertilisation of ideas, experiences and skills which will be mutually beneficial to both countries”.

During the evening it was announced that one of the event’s supporters, Marlene Hargitay, will soon assume the position of Jamaican Honorary Consul to Hungary.

In her message in the event’s programme, Roberts noted, “It is a pleasure to participate in this launch in London and I wish for Dr Lola Ramocan, chairman, and her team a very successful event, and pledge my support as patron for the strengthening and holistic development of the chapter as the years go by.”

The United Kingdom is the second largest Jamaican Diaspora in the world, behind the United States and ahead of Canada. The Women’s Health Network serves the diaspora in all three countries. It gives Jamaicans living abroad opportunities to support women’s health in Jamaica and in all the communities that WHNja serves.