Hi neighbour! While structural adjustment, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Honduran crisis hog the headlines, for some Jamaicans these things hold no great significance. These neighbours are trying to decipher how their children's back-to-school expenses will be financed come September morn.

Maas Ken, who resides on a little hill in the parish of Portland, is not concerned about school fees, nor will he ever be able to see eye to eye with the IMF. For a long time he had bad news, but today there is good news.

Maas Ken lost his sight due to a series of unfortunate circumstances in 1985. For years, he has been trekking down the hill to fetch his pail of water at least 10 times per week. His only companion has been his ever-faithful white cane. In one of our discussions, he said that if he got a water tank it would certainly help to relieve his burden. Knowing that many of my readers are kind-hearted and might have wanted to assist Maas Ken, I published his case in this column one Wednesday.

The following day, Eloise, a Jamaican living in Canada, responded with a desire to help this blind neighbour. Today, Maas Ken is a very happy man.

Thanks for help given to neighbours last week

1. Mr and Mrs Obadiah Bailey, who travelled all the way from St Mary with clothing for adults, children and items for a golden-age home. You have put a smile on many faces.

2. All the persons who made financial contributions to their neighbours.

3. Ms Mason, St Catherine, for offering assistance to a widow in Clarendon.

4. Mr Forest, St Andrew, for donating a bed to Vivine to assist with her five children.

5. Colleen, for offering adult female clothing to a neighbour in need.

6. Ms Vernon, St Catherine, for responding to Sheena, St Catherine, who was in need of a sewing machine to generate income. She also donated fabric.

7. To Kay-Ann, Kingston, for giving clothing to Michelle in St Catherine.

8. Mrs Pinto, St Andrew, for offering utensils to neighbours in need of same.

9. Lloyd Martin, for offering to assist Hello Mi Neighbour with pickup and delivery of items on behalf of donors and recipients.

New opportunities to help neighbours

To help, please call 906-3167, 884-3866 or 373-7745 or send email to: neighbourtoo@yahoo.com and we will make the link. Those who desire to make financial donations to this project may make deposits to Acct # 351 044 276 at the National Commercial Bank. Bank routing #: JNCBJMKX.

1. Ms Blair, St Catherine: Trying to help high-school dropouts in her community. Asking for exercise books, primary and high-school textbooks, clothing and food for them.

2. Marcia, St Catherine: Caring for four grandchildren. Asking neighbours to donate a used cake mixer as she is trying to earn revenue by baking to support her family. She is unable to mix batter manually due to arthritis.

3. Elizabeth, St Catherine: Unemployed mother whose son died 2 1/2 months ago. Appealing to neighbours to assist with his burial expenses as she is unable to come up with the money needed.

4. Fredricka, St Catherine: Is living with a serious medical condition and needs financial assistance to do a test to determine the cause. The cost associated with this procedure is currently $7,000. She is appealing to neighbours to assist as she is alone with no one else to help.

5. Jean (caregiver), St Catherine: Is making an urgent plea to neighbours to donate a bed, linen, diapers and clothing for a 96-year-old man who is alone and in dire need of help. Please contribute to this need.

6. Jennifer, St Catherine: A mother of six has turned to farming in order to provide for her family. The father is absent. She's asking neighbours to assist with a fork or cutlass but can't afford to buy one now.

7. Ms Douglas, Clarendon: Is asking a neighbour for help in acquiring a computer to assist her six children in their studies. They are a long distance from their local library and she has tried several times to purchase one, but the funds are simply not enough.

8. Mrs Thomas, St Catherine: Mother of three asking neighbours for help in acquiring chickens for rearing.

9. Patricia, Clarendon: Mother of a six-month-old, currently unemployed. Circumstances forced her to start her own business; now needs assistance in acquiring a sewing machine.

10. Carla, St Elizabeth: Mother of seven children is asking for clothing for a six-month-old boy and 12-year-old girl.

Hello Mi Neighbour is written by Silton Townsend, better known for his stagecraft as 'Maas Gussie' in the local television sitcom, 'Lime Tree Lane', more than a decade ago.