Focus on Christian Aid

Secure Livelihoods projects aim to support and build programmes that give women and young people from rural and urban areas increased access to the training and skills development, assets and resources that they need to guarantee a secure livelihood. Problems of precarious livelihoods are being addressed through conflict resolution and peace building. Communities and groups that are vulnerable to natural disasters are being helped to be able to identify risks, prepare mitigation plans and rebuild their livelihoods after social and natural disasters occur
In order to achieve the goal of Economic Justice, partners are advocating and campaigning for sustainable, safe and dignified working conditions for Jamaicans, as well as exposing the structural obstacles that prevent people from exercising their full range of rights.
Partners in Jamaica are now benefiting from greater training and support since Christian Aid appointed a Programme Accompanier. Partners are also improving their joint planning and preparedness to minimize calamity during each hurricane season. During last year’s hurricanes, the planning, coordination and preparedness was successfully put into action. Partners will continue to receive more in-depth training in preparing for and mitigating against disaster over the coming year. HIV work likewise received a great deal of investment in terms of time and resources with the aim of improving the quality of HIV work among partners.
Disaster Mitigation Training 
In  June 2008, farmers and other community members from Trinityville, Fonthill, Whitehorses, Botany Bay, Pamphret, Johnson Mountain, Taris and Spring Bank in St. Thomas participated a two-day Initial Damage Assessment Workshop hosted in Morant Bay by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre.
The project was funded by Christian AID and Action for Christians Together (ACT). Twenty one females and three males were introduced to risk analysis, risk reduction, adverse event management and recovery by Millicent Blake, Parish disaster coordinator of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) , Sophia Mitchell regional coordinator and Karema Mitchel mitigation programme.
Participants were trained in how to prepare for a natural disaster,  how to grade buildings for damage and how to reduce vulnerability.
Also discussed at the seminar were the effects of hazards, how to conduct an assessment as well as an overview of the national disaster management programme. The St. Thomas resident said they were also taught how to put together a mitigation team, do first aid and do evaluations for damage evaluation to determine the amount of help needed and to how identify sources of help.
Participants in the Initial Damage assessment workshop were provided with a field reference guide as well work books during the seminar. Participants are expected to return to their individual communities  and sensitize resident how to prepare for natural disasters.