Amid the violence, high levels of unemployment and poor living conditions plaguing sections of Waltham Park, St Andrew, residents can seek advice and support from the community development programmes the S-Corner Clinic has provided since 1991.
The clinic, which is situated in the heart of the community, is one of nine non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which recently participated in a United Nations (UN) media telethon launched on October 25, World Poverty Day.
Empowering the residents of crime-ridden satellite communities is no easy task, says Angela Stultz, director of the clinic. Many of the safe-sex and health workshops are often demonstrated in the streets and in the yards of residents.
"It creates hype and people love excitement, so it grabs their attention and it increases their awareness," she said.
Obstacles
Lack of funding and rampant crime are obstacles which have contributed to the impoverishment of the community. However, Stultz and her loyal and dedicated team are undeterred and continue to develop programmes, which target social game changers, such as parenting, safe sex and youth empowerment.
Stultz has adopted a holistic approach to address social ills and has transformed a health clinic into a burgeoning movement.
Proud of the success of the youth-empowerment programme, which assists children nine to 12 years old with homework and literacy development, Stultz said she is happy with the results.
"The class divide is very stratified, so we help students to attain GSAT passes so that students can to go to tier-one schools."
Mindful of the challenges ahead for the 11 students each year who go on to attend St George's College and Immaculate Conception High, Stultz developed a programme to facilitate students who are integrated into "so-called mainstream" society.
"Our children are going through the back door. So we ask civil society to sponsor a child into programmes because education and self-confidence are needed for a person to alleviate poverty," Stultz explained.
On December 10, all nine charities, including Jamaica AIDS Support for Life and Children First, will attend a ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
Hopeful
The monthlong telethon, sponsored by Digicel, encouraged the public to vote for the charity or NGO of their choice, all of which observed the UN mandate of the eradication of poverty and hunger by 2015.
Stultz was hopeful of the poverty campaign, but urged the nation to contribute more.
"It's challenging to get civic institutions to buy into the concept of civil society. It's usually overseas agencies, but civil society needs to do more," she said.
Any funds secured by the S-Corner Clinic through the telethon, Stultz said, would facilitate the cost of a $2-million construction of a progressive youth club, complete with a computer laboratory courtesy of Life of Lens.
To make a donation or to volunteer, call: S-Corner Clinic and Community Development Centre: on 937-1896/923-0672.