I first met Moira Morgan a couple of months ago for a story I am researching. She is a delightful Irish-born woman who has been in Jamaica for decades. She has a big heart that clearly holds her many feelings close to the surface, and that generosity and sensitivity has lead her to come to the aid of many Jamaicans over the years. I interviewed Ms. Morgan for a story I am working on about children in the prison system.

Ms. Morgan has worked with many Jamaicans who have fallen through the country’s social safety net, including young women who survived the horrible fire in Armadale (a correctional facility). On the day of our interview, Ms. Morgan was joined by one of the Armadale survivors and their bond was unmistakable. So were the tears that threatened to spring from Ms. Morgan’s eyes during the interview. It takes a strong person to engage in any type of work that involves helping people who may need extra assistance, for whatever reason. Ms. Morgan is clearly strong, having worked in some of Jamaica’s toughest inner-city communities. She told me about working in those communities, about bringing together dons and young men to find peaceful resolutions. About young men who went from holding guns to teaching children how to read.
In her own words, here she is talking about her work in that commumity:

What haunted me most was the sound of children crying. Their heart wrenching cries constantly being heard above the sounds of gospel singing churches, raucous dance hall djs and the nightly barrage of gunshot.

Ms. Morgan founded the Griffin Charitable Trust, which over the years has done the following:

education and literacy programmes have been established. Refuge and safe havens have been provided for young children, girls fleeing sexual predation and for women fleeing domestic violence. Other projects undertaken have included gang mediation programmes and care for the elderly.

Ms. Morgan has just embarked on an indidgogo.com fundraising campaign aimed at buying a house and plot of land. Dubbed The Sanctuary, the house will be a place to live for more than a dozen children and elders who have no other place to go. It is located in Kingston’s Eastern parish of St. Thomas (Whitehorses to be specific). Digicel has already committed $60,000 US and $50,000 more is required to cover things such as legal costs, land and related expenses.

The house is intended to be an oasis for residents, as well as a safe space in which families can reintegrate with one another once they have experienced the cycle of violence (they estimate 600 people per year will pass through). This is an indiegogo campaign, which is a “crowdfunding” project. There is a time limit on the campaign, and people who make a donation (depending on the amount) will receive something in return, such as a rock dedicated to them in the Corner Stone rock garden that is planned for the grounds.

Check out the campaign here and spread the word if you cannot donate.