1. Citizenship Stage 2
Literacy
The Blue Mountain Project (BMP)

2. Blue Mountain Project
How it Started
• Started by Denise Cagley-Jefferson
• After visiting the blue mountains of Jamaica in
1994 with 15 other students from Northland
College
• Volunteered at Minto All-Age School, which
only had one stapler and no staplers
• Social situation in district Hagley Gap
described as ‘horrible and backward’.

3. Blue Mountain Project
How it Started
• Joined AmeriCorps Nccc upon her return to
America
• Felt the urge to continue helping the
Jamaicans in Hagley Gap
• Shared her experiences with her fellow corps
members
• Together with Sarah Weaver, began to from a
plan of action for the BMP in October 2002.

4. Blue Mountain Project
What is it
Aims:
• Identify key areas of needed development
• Facilitate sustainable solutions in the area
• Lasting and impactful change in the Hagley Gap in Jamaica
How:
• Living and working directly with the communities they served
• Provision of key water and quality healthcare: Disaster relief
• Improving literacy and academic development: Service-learning
programs
Funding
• Completely reliant on donations
• Tax-exemption status
• Microsoft matching program

5. Blue Mountain Project
Difficulties
Denise had to leave America to move to Jamaica
• Establish service-learning program
• Establish relationships with important Jamaican
contacts
Need for regular travel
• Market the program internationally and recruit
volunteers for the project
Funding
• Completely reliant on donations

6. Done By:
Josiah Tan
Roy Lai
Daniel Lim
Zhouyang
Resources:
www.bluemountainproject.org