Hurricane Melissa Changed Everything and Jamaica Needs Relief Now

Their Schools Are Gone and Jamaica Is Not Ready

Children Are Facing Hunger, Displacement, and Lost Education

When Hurricane Mellissa tore across Jamaica, it left behind more than broken buildings it shattered the lives of thousands of children.

Entire communities across St. Thomas, St. Mary, Portland, Clarendon, and St. Catherine were devastated. Homes were washed away, schools collapsed, and families lost the basic necessities they depend on to survive. Many children are now:

• Hungry and unable to access consistent meals,

• Without books, school supplies, or digital tools for remote learning,

• Completely cut off from education due to damaged classrooms and infrastructure,

• Living in unsafe, unstable shelters, exposed to rain and debris.

As the rubble settles, a silent emergency grows: children are falling into hunger, fear, and academic regression. Families need help now before this becomes a lost generation.

Jamaica's Crisis in Numbers

According to the JIRC post-hurricane assessment :

• 🍽️ Thousands of children are facing food insecurity after losing access to daily meals.

• 📚 Children across the affected parishes lack school supplies, books, and learning materials necessary for remote learning.

• 🏚️ Entire communities suffer severe home destruction, leaving families displaced and unprotected.

• 🏫 Dozens of classrooms, reading centers, and early-learning spaces are damaged beyond use (see pages 6–7).

A hungry child cannot learn.A child without supplies cannot study.A child without a home cannot recover.

Our Mission: Feed, Educate, and Rebuild

UMMA Foundation, in partnership with local educators and community leaders, is launching an urgent campaign to support Jamaica's hardest-hit families after Hurricane Mellissa.

Our focus is simple and life-changing:

🍽️ Food for Children and Families

Through temporary distribution centers, we provide hot meals and food packages so children do not go to bed hungry. (See "Nourish to Learn" initiative, page 8–9 )

🎒 School Supply Kits for Immediate Learning

We distribute literacy toolkits, storybooks, stationery, and, for high-need homes, tablets and solar chargers so children can continue their education even with damaged schools.

🏚️ Support for Families Who Lost Their Homes

We reinforce shelters and provide emergency materials to help families rebuild their lives with dignity.

Every meal, every school kit, and every emergency package brings a child one step closer to safety, stability, and hope.

Why Give Now - Before More Children Fall Behind

• Hurricane Mellissa destroyed classrooms and homes across multiple parishes.

• Children are going hungry and losing months of learning.

• Many families cannot afford school supplies or basic necessities.

• The longer recovery takes, the more children drift into long-term academic regression.

Every hour matters.This is our chance to step in before these losses become permanent.