Families losing everything 

Since 1972, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Jamaica. 

After extreme flooding and unprecedented winds destroyed homes, infrastructure and water sanitation systems, children and families were in crisis. Thousands of people were left without shelter, access to medical care and clean, safe drinking water.   

Humanitarian needs were extensive, but we remained dedicated to protecting vulnerable children from violence, malnutrition and displacement—bringing decades of emergency expertise and strong local relationships to make a sustainable, lasting impact on those in need. 

As the SOS Children’s Villages village director in Montego Bay said: “All life was spared. I am so relieved. All children, adolescents and staff are safe, though in major shock from the storm. We have suffered major damages caused by mudslides. Two external houses on the hill came down on us… so three of our houses suffered from mud flow. We are like a major disaster zone.”   

Our teams remained focused on meeting the immediate needs of all children, families and staff, and we worked diligently with local authorities and emergency services to assess the situation, plan for recovery and implement rebuilding measures.