Boca Raton Sunset Rotary Club

Black River Fishing Village

Black River, Jamaica Fishing Village Project
a partnership between the Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunset and Food for the Poor
To understand the plight of the villagers of Black River, you must first clear from your mind the perception you may have of the island of Jamaica as depicted in colorful travel brochures and on TV. On the same island as, but far from the decadence of Ocho Rios, Negril and Montego Bay, lies the village of Black River. Located on the south coast of Jamaica, with its dark-sand beaches surrounded by marshland, Black River once prospered as the main harbor for the export of dyes made from the Longwood tree. With the advent of synthetic colorants, these dyes fell out of favor with clothing manufacturers, leaving Black River with a bleak economic future.
Black River Map

The challenge

A Black River villager with his unworthy vessel According to a 1998 Labor Force Survey, 78% of Jamaica’s workers are unemployable, having received no formal or vocational training. The problem is so wide-spread, the government lacks the resources to adequately address the day-to-day challenges affecting so many Jamaicans. The inhabitants of Black River, like much of Jamaica, also lack the boats, motors and equipment that would enable them to go far enough out to sea to catch sufficient fish. Additionally, the shallow waters most proximal to the island are being over-fished.

“If you teach a man to fish…”
Working with Food for the Poor, a world-renowned non-profit organization that has implemented similar relief programs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, our project will organize 12 of the neediest men from the village into four cooperatives. Each cooperative of 3 men will share one boat. The fishermen will be taught deep-sea fishing techniques, how and where to best sell their catch, basic business procedures and how to maintain their equipment. The cooperatives will be offered a hand up with donations of $30,000 worth of boats and supplies. The plight of the island's women is even worse than their male counterparts'. In response, the Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunset will also be helping women to start their own chicken coup business. Similar business training will be provided by local Rotarians.

Rotarians in the trenches
Past President Joseph A. Mirrione and fellow Rotarian Ed Zucchi have travelled extensively throughout the south of Jamiaca, visiting the most impoverished villages, where people do not have the basic bare necessities of shelter, clothing and food. Black River was carefully selected for adoption by our Club because of the profound and urgent need. A follow-up visit is planned for the near future during which the Club will deliver some much needed to relief to Black River and Scott's Cove.

About our partners, Food for the Poor
Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL, Food for the Poor, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization entering its 22nd year of service to the poor of the Caribbean and Latin America. A recent Forbes Magazine feature on Food for the Poor reported an impressive 95% Charitible Commitment Ratio, compared to an industry average of 85% among the Top 200 charities in the United States. Following the princples that only education and self-help can break the cycle of poverty, Food for the Poor’s collaboration with our Rotary Club will serve the materially and spiritually impoverished of Black River mindful of the importance of delivering our assistance with dignity.