If you had told me two years ago that my tourism project would lead me to be part of a team filming a video in a music studio, I wouldn’t have believed you. But that is precisely what happened, together with Jamoi, one of several young Jamaican men who had turned his life around with this project – a project which combined sustainable tourism in Jamaica and at-risk … [Read more...] about How Sustainable Tourism in Jamaica Opened Doors for Youth
Jamaica
The MIF in Jamaica: Small businesses, small country, small projects… large impact
Three years ago, I and my MIF colleagues who focus on Jamaica made a deliberate decision to target access to finance for Jamaican SMEs--a critical area of need in the country, and one in which we could make a difference. Today, the MIF portfolio in Jamaica includes a group of mutually reinforcing projects that offer support to small and medium firms through a range of models. … [Read more...] about The MIF in Jamaica: Small businesses, small country, small projects… large impact
How can we help “unattached” youth transition into the work force?
In Latin America and the Caribbean, about one in every five youth between the ages of 15-24 is neither in school nor in the workforce. This amounts to roughly 25 million young people whose situation is affecting not only their present and future earnings, motivation and self-esteem, but also their society’s economic outlook and well-being! Are these “unattached” youth a “lost … [Read more...] about How can we help “unattached” youth transition into the work force?
Reggaenomics: Bob Marley’s legacy on Jamaica’s creative economy
On February 6, music fans around the world will celebrate what would have been the 70th birthday of reggae superstar Bob Marley. Although he was felled by cancer more than three decades ago, his legacy highlights pop culture’s impact on national identities and even on economies, says Jamaican radio host and culture critic Dermot Hussey, co-author of Bob Marley: Reggae King of … [Read more...] about Reggaenomics: Bob Marley’s legacy on Jamaica’s creative economy
Remittances as a Safety Net in Jamaica
This policy brief answers three main questions for the Jamaican economy: (a) Do remittances act as a safety net during negative health shocks? (b) Are remittances subject to moral hazard by receivers? (c) How does formal health insurance interact with remittances as a safety net during adverse health episodes? Evidence suggests that remittances offer full protection against … [Read more...] about Remittances as a Safety Net in Jamaica