Citizenship Stage 2

LiteracyThe Blue Mountain Project (BMP)

Blue Mountain ProjectHow it Started

• Started by Denise Cagley-Jefferson• After visiting the blue mountains of Jamaica in

1994 with 15 other students from Northland College

• Volunteered at Minto All-Age School, which only had one stapler and no staplers

• Social situation in district Hagley Gap described as ‘horrible and backward’.

Blue Mountain ProjectHow it Started

• Joined AmeriCorps Nccc upon her return to America

• Felt the urge to continue helping the Jamaicans in Hagley Gap

• Shared her experiences with her fellow corps members

• Together with Sarah Weaver, began to from a plan of action for the BMP in October 2002.

Blue Mountain ProjectWhat is it

Aims:• Identify key areas of needed development• Facilitate sustainable solutions in the area• Lasting and impactful change in the Hagley Gap in Jamaica

How:• Living and working directly with the communities they served• Provision of key water and quality healthcare: Disaster relief• Improving literacy and academic development: Service-learning programsFunding• Completely reliant on donations• Tax-exemption status• Microsoft matching program

Blue Mountain ProjectDifficulties

Denise had to leave America to move to Jamaica • Establish service-learning program • Establish relationships with important Jamaican

contactsNeed for regular travel• Market the program internationally and recruit

volunteers for the projectFunding• Completely reliant on donations

Done By:Josiah TanRoy LaiDaniel LimZhouyang

Resources:www.bluemountainproject.org