Logos Hope Volunteers to Engage With Local Organisations During Ship’s Visit

Volunteers from the Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating book fair, will engage with local organisations across Jamaica throughout the ship’s visit.

Speaking during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the agency’s Television Department in Kingston, Logos Hope, Project Coordinator, Briba Sumaila, said connecting with people in the countries visited is a vital part of the ship’s mission. The mission of Logos Hope is to share knowledge, help and hope wherever it sails.

“We are currently partnering with different organisations and local organisation initiatives. We are already preparing some programme activities; for example, we are going to the Jamaica Library Service where we will be engaging with the kids that are coming there for vacation,” Mr. Sumaila indicated.

He added, “We are… going to be part of some churches where we’ll be having a few activities alongside what they are already doing.”

The volunteers, who hail from more than 65 countries, are contributing through educational and social engagement, while also offering hands-on support in areas such as painting, construction and facility enhancement.

“We always bring people that have manpower that [are] able to do some of those activities, not only in partnership in donations but also how we can contribute to the communities – we do the painting and, if they are building, we also do the building as well,” Mr. Sumaila said.

He noted that the volunteers aim to impact communities by sharing personal testimonies and stories from the countries they have visited, in the hope that these experiences can inspire and educate others.

Logos Hope arrived in Kingston on July 19 and will remain docked at the Cement Coal Pier until August 19, before heading to Montego Bay, where it will be berthed from August 22 to September 14.

Opening hours in Kingston are Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Persons wishing to visit the Logos Hope will be required to pay an entry fee of $500; however, children under 12, and seniors, 65 and older, may enter free of cost.

Owned and operated by GBA Ships – an international charitable organisation – Logos Hope offers more than 5,000 book titles, spanning subjects such as mathematics, business, science, sports, languages, medicine, faith-based literature, atlases, dictionaries and cooking. All books are available for purchase at discounted rates.