COJO, Bahia fête girls in state care
Published:Tuesday | May 27, 2025 | 12:12 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
More than 30 young ladies from the Granville Place of Safety in Trelawny were fêted during an afternoon trip to the Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica hotel in Runaway Bay, St Ann, last Friday.
The afternoon went well for the girls as they enjoyed lunch before being treated to gifts by several sponsors, including Cari-Med, JPS Foundation, and the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA).
The event was made possible through the efforts of Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) which, according to founder Gary Williams, has been assisting wards of the State for more than 30 years as its core function.
The event followed last Wednesday’s presentation of scholarships to 18 wards of the State who are pursuing tertiary education.
Williams said the scholarships amounted to US$60,000 and will assist students attending The University of the West Indies; University of Technology, Jamaica; Northern Caribbean University; Shortwood Teachers’ College; The Mico University College; the College of Agriculture, Science and Engineering; and G.C. Foster College. The amount is equivalent to approximately J$500,000 dollars and is an annual grant.
Williams said COJO started in 1994 by providing children’s homes with household items, such as refrigerators, stoves, computers, and clothing. The organisation’s efforts have yielded positive results, he pointed out.
“With the collaboration of Bahia and the sponsors, we sought to get the girls out of the home - their comfort zone, what they’re used to – to give them this exposure to what it is like outside, where they had never been. I’m very happy Bahia stepped up and became the sponsor to host the girls and fête them for the afternoon,” Williams told The Gleaner.
PRAISES FOR SUPPORTERS
Williams had praises for companies such as GraceKennedy, JetBlue, Sandals Resorts, and Jamaica National.
“These are companies that have consistently supported us over the years; and we’re fortunate to have Bahia Principe as part of the COJO family, and the management team as part of the COJO family,” he added.
Jevaun Johnson, environment and corporate social responsibility manager at Bahia, said it was an easy decision to have the girls on the property for the day, having worked with Williams and the COJO team before.
“We had intentions of having an outreach activity for [International] Women’s Day earlier this year but it never materialised, so when Mr Williams suggested this event for Child Month, everything was confirmed within a day,” Johnson said.
“We are really happy to see this materialise. The girls are so beautiful, we’re happy to see the smiles on their faces. This is just us trying to let them have a day to relax and to let them know that they are valued, and understand that this is not just a visit to the hotel; it’s opening their eyes to realise that there are so many more things out there and to feel confident in themselves to say, ‘You know what? In the future I can find myself in one of these positions.’”