Make Jamaica Safe Again

Every year since 2011, the Real Valley Foundation has lit up football courts, painted for peace, taught money skills, backed small businesses and stood with families after the storm. SAFE stands for Sports, Arts, Finance and Economics.

Donate to SAFE Jamaica See what we do
A police officer shakes hands with a smiling young player who gives a thumbs up while holding a new tablet, under floodlights at a night football league
2025Mount Salem Night League prize night. A police officer presents a tablet to a young player.

Four letters. One community.

Young people need somewhere to play, something to create, the know-how to manage money and a fair start in business. SAFE Jamaica works on all four at once, in the communities we come from.

Sports

Night football leagues under stadium lights in Mount Salem, Granville, Gutters and Retirement.

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Arts

Paint for Peace in Sam Sharpe Square, with the best young painters from Montego Bay's schools.

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Finance

Free financial literacy classes with The Money Dr., so families can budget, save and plan.

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Economics

Business plans, small grants for vendors, and help with bills and recovery when times are hard.

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SSports

We brought the lights.

The Montego Bay Futsal Champions League has run at night in Mount Salem since 2011. Big crowds, big games, and a safe place to be after dark. Where there were no lights, we put up lights like a stadium.

Alongside the football leagues we host ladies' netball rallies, so girls and women have their own night under the lights.

  1. 2011

    Mount Salem

    The Montego Bay Futsal Champions League kicks off at night in Mount Salem. It is still running today.

  2. 2022

    Granville and Gutters

    The league expands to Granville and Gutters, with stadium-style lights at Gutters. We also start the Granville Corner League.

  3. 2024

    Retirement

    We kick-start the Retirement Night Football League and light the field like a stadium.

Futsal players under stage lights beneath a Scarce Sports banner reading A peace through sports initiative, with a big crowd lining the court

Montego Bay Futsal Champions League

Every year the street becomes a stadium: stage lights, a big screen, music, and the whole community on the sidelines. Teams from across Montego Bay compete for the trophy, and young people get a safe, exciting place to be at night.

Mount Salem, 2024 to 2025

League nights in pictures

These photos are from the Mount Salem league, 2024 to 2025. We also run the league in Granville and Gutters, and the Retirement Night League. Tap any photo to see it larger.

A player in a gold jersey drives forward with the ball as a defender in white chases and fans watch
Real competition, every night of the season.
The winning team in red jerseys lifts the first place trophy on stage, wearing medals
Champions lift the trophy, 2024.
Newspaper clipping headed Retirement Champs, showing the winning team holding the trophy, with a caption about the Retirement Seven-A-Side final
In the news: the Retirement Seven-A-Side final, where Common Elite beat Chozen FC on penalties at the Retirement Community Centre. Tap to read.

Police and players, same court

Officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force present the prizes at our league nights. It builds trust between young people and the police, one handshake at a time.

Players stand at the center circle under blue stage lights as spectators look on
Kickoff under the lights.
A police officer presents prizes to a player in a red jersey as a crowd watches under floodlights
Prize night: players rewarded in front of the community.
Two players battle for the ball in front of a crowd and a painted ice cream shop wall
Speed and skill on the street court.
Fans cheer and dance along the edge of the court at night
The crowd is part of the game.
A police officer, a player in a blue jersey and a league organizer pose with prizes on the court at night
Every player who shines gets recognized.
AArts

Paint for Peace

Schools across Montego Bay send their best young painters to Sam Sharpe Square to paint side by side. Leading Jamaican artists, including Mark Anthony Hill, join in to illustrate with them.

It puts young talent in the heart of the city and gives the whole town a different picture of its young people. We also celebrate Jamaican culture in our communities, from painting to Jonkonnu.

A colorful abstract painting of circles and triangles on an easel at night
Finished on the night, displayed in the square.
A large, densely patterned painting with faces, eyes, a red skull and a cross
Professor Haughton smiles and claps beside a masked Jonkonnu performer in green and yellow and a drummer
Jonkonnu performers bring Jamaican tradition to the community.
FFinance

Money skills, taught free.

Our financial literacy classes are led by Professor Andre Haughton, The Money Dr. We have taught them in communities across St James West Central and at the UWI campus.

Anyone can start with a free money health check-up online.

Take the free money check-up
  • Build a budget that fits a real Jamaican household
  • Save on purpose, even on a small income
  • Understand loans and interest before you sign
  • Set goals for school fees, a business or a home
Professor Haughton stands between two award winners holding trophies at the Jamaica Stock Exchange Best Practices Awards
Professor Haughton at the Jamaica Stock Exchange Best Practices Awards.
EEconomics

A start in business. A hand when it's hard.

Professor Haughton, in a checked suit, speaks with hosts on the set of Smile Jamaica
On TVJ's Smile Jamaica, discussing the economy and the importance of giving back.

Enterprise support

  • Help writing a business plan
  • Guidance on finding business financing
  • Small grants so vendors and peddlers can buy stock for their stalls

Help when it's urgent

When a family is stretched, small amounts make a big difference. We have helped people pay for:

  • Doctor's fees
  • Medicine
  • Light bills
  • Gas
  • Back-to-school costs

After the storm, we showed up.

When the hurricane left streets in mud and families without power, we loaded the van with water and food packages and went house to house.

Handing out food packages from the van.
A SAFE Jamaica team member holds hands with an older man in muddy boots on a storm-damaged street
Checking on neighbors street by street.
A SAFE Jamaica team member holds up a relief bag beside a van full of bottled water and food packages
Water and food, packed and delivered.

Back to school, fully packed.

Every child should start the school year with what they need. Our back-to-school treats hand out bags, books and supplies, with a day of fun and games, and our league nights have put tablets in young players' hands.

1,000+School bags and books given out
2,000+Pens, calculators, erasers and sharpeners
Give to back to school
Professor Haughton stands with arms open wide behind a big group of smiling children holding their gifts
Treat day with the children of our communities.
A police officer shakes hands with a boy receiving a boxed tablet at a night league
A police officer presents a tablet to a young player, Mount Salem, 2025.
Professor Haughton leans across a table to hand a gift to a young girl as other children wait
Every child leaves with something.
Western Mirror newspaper clipping headlined Hundreds get back-to-school treat, with four photos of children at the event
In the news: The Western Mirror covered our back-to-school treat in Granville, where about 300 children left with school supplies. Tap to read.

Where we work

  • Mount Salem
  • Granville
  • Gutters
  • Retirement
  • Sam Sharpe Square
  • St James West Central

Need a hand?

If you live in St James and need help with a medical bill, a light bill, school costs, or a small business, reach out. Every request is handled privately.

  1. Send us a messageTell us your name, your community and what you need.
  2. We talk with youA member of our team will call or meet you to understand the situation.
  3. We respondWhere we can help, we help directly, and we point you to other support where we can't.

Contact SAFE Jamaica

Message us on WhatsApp foundationvalley@gmail.com @valleyfoundation on Instagram Mount Salem, Montego Bay, St James