Our priorities
KASSSI aims to stimulate the educational aspiration and overall life skills of families and individuals whose potential is limited by financial hardship and social exclusion.
- To advance the education of children and adults living in Jamaica in particular but not exclusively, by the provision of facilities, services, projects or programmes for schools and communities.
- To relieve poverty and distress amongst the Jamaican community through the provision of training and enhancing their skills, in order to improve their opportunities for employment.
- The relief of sickness and the preservation of health of persons living in Jamaica.
It is hoped that KASSSI will develop into a resident-driven community-building initiative that is self- serving. In order to create positive opportunities and outcomes for all of the children who live in Jamaica. KASSSI aims to develop an integrated network of services and support that provides assistance in: family stability; opportunities for employment; a quality education; and youth development activities for adolescents.
Our mission
The mission of KASSSI is to create significant, positive opportunities for all children living in Jamaica by helping parents, residents, teachers and other stakeholders to create a safe learning environment for children and young people. Our full constitution can be found here.
We aim to facilitate these objectives by:
- Liaising with governmental bodies and departments in a collaborative spirit.
- Making strategically targeted grants to select individuals and organisations.
- Providing advocacy and support to volunteer groups and local community bodies.
- Offering advice and information in supporting a wide range of community initiatives.
KASSSI aims to improve outcomes for financially and emotionally disadvantaged children, families and communities, starting in Petersville, Westmoreland, Jamaica, W.I.
Our work
The work of KASSSI covers three main areas: Health, Social Welfare and Education; in order to enable greater independence and empowerment, thereby enhancing security, confidence and a better quality of life.
Behind this mission lies two core beliefs:
First, children from disadvantaged families and communities, are far more likely to grow to healthy, satisfying adulthood, and therefore able to help build a better community, if a significant amount of the adults around them are well versed in the techniques of effective parenting, and are engaged in local educational, social, and cultural activities with their children.
Second, the earlier a child is touched by sound health care, intellectual and social stimulation, and consistent guidance from loving, attentive adults, the more likely that child will be to grow into a responsible and fulfilled member of the community. Intervention at later stages is still important — and must be adjusted as the person progresses through the various stages of teenage years. But later intervention is more costly and less sure of success. Families will need these later efforts to a lesser degree and in declining amounts if the earliest intervention is effective.
These twin principles — a significant proportion of engaged, effective families, combined with early and progressive intervention in a child’s development — are crucial to the mission of KASSSI. Our focus over the immediate future will be to take KASSSI towards an extension of the Charity, which reaches a greater proportion of residents in the Petersville, Westmoreland area and other Parishes, with a wider, more effective mix of services, particularly at earlier ages.
