CLARENDON, Jamaica — Residents of Rocky Point recently benefitted from a multi-faceted community outreach initiative led by the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) and partners, which brought together health services, psychosocial support and practical relief for families and individuals facing ongoing economic and social pressures.

In a statement on Sunday, VPA said the initiative included basic medical checks conducted by a medical doctor and nurse, counselling and group “reasoning” sessions for men under VPA’s Big Man Ting programme, the distribution of care packages, and the provision of warm, cooked meals.

Particular attention was given to shut-ins, the elderly and persons with disabilities who were unable to attend the community activity in person.

According to Colleen Wint Bond, project coordinator at VPA, the decision to work in Rocky Point was guided by the organisation’s established presence in Clarendon and a desire to respond in a focused, community-informed way.

“We have been working in Clarendon for some time, including with schools, so when the hurricane affected several areas, we felt it was important to stay in parishes where we already have relationships and trust,” Wint Bond explained.

“One of our facilitators knows the community well and helped us to identify Rocky Point, where many fishermen have been seriously affected, losing boats and nets and struggling to earn,” she added.

The project coordinator said the outreach was designed to meet both immediate needs and longer-term social challenges, particularly among men whose livelihoods and family dynamics have been under strain.

“Through the Big Man Ting sessions, we’re looking at issues of positive masculinity, gender-based violence and healthy relationships, while also talking about how the recent hurricane has affected men’s livelihoods and their roles within their households,” she outlined.

Men who participated in the reasoning sessions said they found the discussions valuable and thought-provoking. Carlton Golding, a resident, described the session as timely and beneficial.

“It was fine, everything was alright,” Golding said. “A little reasoning is good, because sometimes you worry too much. The more time you get to reason, the better it is for you and for everything.”

Golding also welcomed the care packages distributed during the outreach, noting that they could make a real difference for those most in need.

“The care package is nice,” he said. “Right now, I’m looking for somebody who really needs it, because there are people out there who need food, and they will be thankful for it.”

Another resident, Randolph Williams of Rocky Point, said the Big Man Ting session challenged traditional ways of thinking and encouraged more open conversations about gender roles and responsibility.

“The reasoning session was very good. There were a lot of things in there,” Williams said. “We talked about how times have changed; women can earn money and lead, and everyone has to be firm and work together. It really makes you think about respect, responsibility and how we move forward as families and as a community.”

In addition to the counselling sessions, residents accessed basic health information and checks, which were supported by a medical team from Luminary Health Medical Centre, while warm meals were delivered by Sakura Express Restaurant.

The support was provided through VPA’s We Talk Project, which focuses on boys and men and addresses the root causes of gender-based violence. The project is supported by the Government of Canada.

Wint Bond noted that while the initiative was modest in scale, its impact lies in its targeted and compassionate approach.

“We don’t have unlimited resources, but what we do have is strong community connections,” she said. “By staying in the parishes we know, we can respond in ways that are meaningful and respectful of what people are actually going through.”

She indicated that Clarendon remains a key area for its ongoing interventions as the organisation continues to work with communities to promote non-violence, resilience and social well-being.

Member of Parliament for Southeast Clarendon and Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles Jr, who was on site to support the initiative, commended the VPA and partners.

“We want to welcome them [VPA and partners], and at the same time, we want to thank them because this is truly the representation of what Jamaica and Jamaicans should be doing, particularly at this time when we are still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, so on behalf of the entire constituency, I want to say a big thank you,” he said.

This is the third outreach effort the VPA has led to communities across the island. The others were in Savanna-la-Mar, Whithorn and Darliston in Westmoreland and Parottee in St Elizabeth.