Give a Chupse! Spread cheer, love and happiness

-

Excitement resonated in the voices of Shayzan Andriade and William Lewis as they proudly pointed out the numerous jewellery items handcrafted out of wires, twines and coffee beans, explaining the meticulous process.

"I took a wire, twisted with pliers and then put coffee beans," explained Lewis, as Andriade, with a gleam in her eyes, clutched a bracelet she made from coffee beans.
Shayzan Andriade and William Lewis
The budding artists, Lewis and Andriade are part of Chupse, an initiative of The Jamaican Association on Intellectual Disabilities (JAID), to encourage intellectually disabled persons to acquire skill sets, hone their creative acumen and integrate them into the society.

"Chupse was conceived as a brand name to sell the fashion jewellery made by persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) by JICA (Japan International Cooperative Agency) volunteers," informed Marilyn McKoy, development officer at JAID.

"It was catchy and also summed up the love and affection behind the initiative," McKoy added. "When you buy a Chupse product, you get something that's made from the heart and you spread love."

Chupse, which means a kiss in Jamaican parlance, has seven participants in Kingston, who make coffee-bean accessories, which are sold at various outlets across Jamaica. The coffee beans are supplied by Jamaica UCC Blue Mountain Coffee Ltd.
For this is the Yuletide season and the spirit of goodness is in the air, Chupse accessories make for a perfect gift and give a new dimension to the morning brew. Handcrafted products From necklaces, bracelets, earrings and key rings - all products are handcrafted, with designs visualised by the designers themselves.

"I look at a picture and then make a design," says Lewis, one of JAID's success stories, who starts work at a coffee farm next year.

"We want to defy the myth that they (those with ID) cannot be productive citizens," said Yuko Matsumoto, special education adviser and JICA volunteer. "They have a lot of skills and need the opportunity to lead fruitful and productive lives."

It is a dollar well spent for those who are looking for unique and indigenous gift items. The revenue earned from sales of the accessories is put back into the programme.

"The participants are given a stipend, a little incentive and given a chance to integrate with the society," said McKoy.
As a part of the programme, the Chupse team members go dining, shopping and get a chance see life beyond the confines of their homes.

Launched in July 2011, through Chupse, JAID envisions integrating those with ID into the societal stream and making them meaningful citizens.

"This cannot be achieved without local volunteer support," Matsumoto, who has been working with JAID for two years, said. "We will go back home (to Japan) but we want to make Chupse a vehicle of success."

As Charles Dickens said in A Christmas Carol: "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year … ," supporting initiatives like Chupse will spread lots of love, happiness and gratifying that the money spent goes into making a difference.

Chupse to the world ... (from left) Robert Lewis, Audrey Warren, Shayzan Andriade, William Lewis, Dorothy Stewart, Kevarn Loird and Natoya Reid.

------------------------------
More information on Chupse products can be had from: The Jamaican Association on Intellectual Disabilities, 7 Golding Avenue, Kingston 7. email: chupsejamaica@gmail.com. Phone: 1-876-977-0134 or go to their website: jaid.org.jm.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com

Published December 23, 2012 - Sunday Gleaner
Location: Kingston, Jamaica

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Naandeyé García Villegas – narrating social commentaries through her art

-
Image
Naandeyé García Villegas, Mexican artist who uses her creativity for social commentary. Naandeyé García Villegas’ earliest memories of delving into creative pursuits were ‘drawing’ letters on the earliest known Word program. The palette had a choice of four fonts and black and white colors to fill – minimalism driven by technology. “Since I was a child, I had a special interest in art. I drew a lot. I drew all the time,” Villegas said. “I loved the color and the letters. “When I was eight years old, my parents bought me a computer and a printer,” she said. “At that time, computers still didn’t have design programs, but mine had one installed where you could write things (I guess it was a kind of Word). It was just typography. I used to spend whole afternoons making signs, ‘designing’ them, then printing them, and finally, coloring on top of them (it had all kinds of markers, colors, watercolors, oil, etc.),” she said. This was the first taste of design for Villegas. A great deal has ch
Read more

OFF THE BEATEN PATH - Free your spirits, rest your mind

-
Image
A retreat to the home of Blue Mountain coffee and endless nature Published December 23, 2009, Hospitality Jamaica Sun, sand, sea…the proverbial Jamaica…but there is an element that rises above it; the panoramic Blue Mountain Range, with a misty coolness unparalleled and the home of the world famous coffee. Looking to break free from the traffic jams, sweat and the endless pressures of life; bliss is just 45 minutes away from Kingston. The changes are evident as one drives up, from the grey to the green, the air from the exhaust fume filled road to smell of foliage and nature. Welcome to Jamaica’s higher plane! Nestled in a coffee plantation in the foothills of Blue Mountain Range, Forres Park Resort and Spa is a getaway which offers a rejuvenating experience. Surrounded by scenic mountains, the resort offers a panoramic view of the misty mountains, lifting one’s mind and soul. Choose from suites, standard rooms or cabins, the resort offer a variety of options for accommodation. The roo
Read more

Sonia Gray – custodian of Kingston’s best kept secret

-
Image
Sonia Gray is proud of her roots and her country, which shows in the warmth and the down-to-earth attitude that she exudes. Owner and operator of Ahlambra Inn and Restaurant, the lush green foliage, fish tanks and quaint and historical relics welcomes the visitors. A thoroughbread country girl, Gray recalled her childhood in Portland, where she used to spend time, at one with nature. “As a little girl growing up in Portland I used to catch Jhaanga (shrimp) and make soup.” She went abroad to pursue degree in film and television with minor in radio, after a career in public relations, Gray decided to live her dreams. “Cooking is my passion, all my life I have loved to cook… I decided to go back to my passion of cooking,” she said. The journey began in 1981, when Gray started her catering business from home. The transition was tough, but it was a learning experience, it gave her a chance to go around the city and explore the shops. “In the first couple of years I knew what was sell
Read more