Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica

As Hurricane Melissa slams into Jamaica with winds nearing 145 miles per hour and torrential rain threatening catastrophic flooding, we are mobilizing our SmartAID Jamaica response team to deliver emergency power, communication systems, and clean water to the communities expected to be hardest hit.

Where We’re Responding

We are working closely with our partners to prepare aid deployments in:

Port Royal (Kingston), Portland Cottage and Rocky Point (Clarendon), Old Harbour Bay (St. Catherine), and Taylor Land and Bull Bay (St. Andrew) are critical coastal communities now bracing for the storm’s full impact.

We are on the ground with our local implementation partners, working alongside local responders to keep lights on, communications open, and clean water flowing as the hurricane makes landfall.

“When electricity and communication fail, everything stops; aid can’t move, responders can’t coordinate, and families can’t reach help,” says Shachar Zahavi, our Founding Director.

“Our response teams are already in action, working closely with government and community partners to deliver clean energy, safe water, and connectivity so essential services can continue through the storm.”

‍Working Together for Jamaica

We are collaborating closely with the Jamaican Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), national relief organizations, and our global partners.

Together, we are deploying solar power systems, mobile communication units, and water-purification technology to ensure that first responders and affected families stay connected and supported throughout the crisis.

When power grids fail and communication networks collapse, hospitals lose the ability to run medical equipment, shelters can’t keep medicine or food cold, and rescue teams struggle to reach those in danger.

Flooded communities become isolated and cut off from information, emergency services, and loved ones.

We are bridging that gap, bringing light, connection, and dignity when it’s needed most.

Building Coordination on the Ground

To strengthen coordination and avoid duplication in relief efforts, we are preparing to install medium-size Technological Coordination Hubs in key areas expected to be hardest hit.

These hubs will act as central command points for local and international responders ensuring that aid, data, and logistics flow efficiently and reach those who need them fastest. We’re deploying from the US:

• Mobile solar power and battery storage units to shelters, clinics, and command centers.
  
  
• Starlink terminals and portable Wi-Fi hotspots will restore internet and phone access in isolated regions.
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• ‍Water purification systems to provide safe drinking water for displaced families.

From Response to Resilience

Once the immediate emergency passes, we’ll transition these assets into permanent community resilience hubs — equipped with renewable energy, communication systems, and water infrastructure.

Our goal is to help Jamaica recover stronger and to ensure communities are better prepared for future storms.

How You Can Help

We urgently need financial and partnership support to reach as many at-risk communities as possible.

💡 Donate: Fund clean energy, water, and connectivity systems for affected communities.

🤝 Partner: Join us through technology, logistics, or community engagement.

📣 Share: Amplify this mission to help more people access life-saving tools.

Together, we can power hope, connection, and resilience across Jamaica.

[Image/s source AP Photo]