FAQs
Who is Won By One To Jamaica?
Won By One To Jamaica is a 501(c)3 missions organization that has been doing ministry in Harmons, Jamaica since 1989. Won By One To Jamaica facilitates groups of high school students, college students, and adults throughout the year.
What does the trip price include?
Roundtrip airfare between home airport and Montego Bay, Jamaica; all transportation on the island; accommodation in the Harmony House; all meals at the Harmony House; all building materials in Harmons; side trip to the Poor House in Maypen; all wages paid to Jamaican laborers; accommodation at Silver Seas Hotel; final dinner in Ocho Rios; departure tax.
Price excludes passport fees, immunizations, snorkeling and shopping in Ocho Rios, entrance to Dunn’s River Falls, meals during travel days.
What documents do I need to travel to Jamaica?
Valid U.S. Passport or Valid Passport from your country of birth and Jamaican Visa Won By One To Jamaica also requires that each team members completes and notarizes a Participation Form which is distributed through the group leader.
To apply for a passport you need to connect to the U.S. State Department Website. Please leave at least twelve weeks to receive your passport from the time you apply. There are many different online services that will expedite your passport for an additional fee.
Where do teams go?
Harmons is a remote mountain village of 3,000 people in south central Jamaica, three hours drive from Montego Bay and 45 minutes from Mandeville. At the end of the week, the team spends one night in the popular north coast resort city Ocho Rios. Harmons is an impoverished community with around 75% unemployment. Because of expense and its remote location, education past the 8th grade is very difficult. Quality medical treatment is rare and money for basic needs (clothes, shoes, toiletries and home improvements) other than food is limited. One aim of Won By To Jamaica is to help alleviate some of the physical hardships the citizens of Harmons experience every day.
Where do teams stay?
When in Harmons the team stays in a Great House constructed in 2001 called the Harmony House. The Harmony House has a large thatch covered meeting room, kitchen, two team dorm rooms, staff rooms, covered courtyard, deck, running water, toilets, showers and electricity. When the team travels to Ocho Rios they stay at the Silver Seas Hotel which is situated directly on the Caribbean ocean. The Silver Seas has a pool, small beach, nearby snorkeling reef, and a pier for the final team meeting.
What will the teams do during their trip?
Each day the team will split into work groups ranging from two to twenty people. Some of the projects you will work on are:
Construct houses
During the week one or two 12’ by 15’ houses will be constructed. Jobs include carrying marl; framing the foundation; mixing and pouring concrete; assembling the wall panels; applying concrete to the walls; installing windows and doors; attaching the metal roof; painting inside and out; and dedicating it to the new family.
Carry marl
Marl, or crushed limestone rock, is the basic ingredient for making concrete and needs to be carried in bags to future home work sites … usually uphill.
Sort & deliver supplies
The hundreds of pounds of clothes, medicine, school supplies and toiletries that each team brings need to be sorted and then placed in a “store” in the Harmony House where local families can “shop” for basic needs. Two grocery size bags filled with supplies cost approximately 75 cents for the locals.
Dig tanks
Because Harmons has no water or sewer systems, residents must collect rainwater in tanks. Tanks are first dug and then lined with concrete. Some tanks are also needed to replace outhouses or allow for indoor bathrooms to be installed.
Repair homes
Most houses are in desperate need of repair. Walls need reinforcement; rusted zinc roof panels need replacement.
Assist school teachers
Two Primary Schools (1st – 8th grades) and two Basic schools (3 – 5 years old) are within close proximity to the Harmony House. When school is in session, a couple of team members will have the opportunity to help the understaffed teachers with their classes or deliver school supplies.
Are there any immunizations one needs before traveling to Jamaica?
Won By One To Jamaica requires that team members have up-to-date Tetanus and Hepatitis “A” is recommend.
