History
Abacus started as a small family-operated business in Jamaica under the name of Abacus Computing Limited as the brainchild of (now Lt. Col. Retd.) Stacey Thompson in 1986. Initially specializing in computer hardware, it soon made its name for all-inclusive customized business IT solution packages for government offices and private businesses, including hotels, law firms, security companies and manufacturers.Following forceful Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 that left widespread destruction in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and remains until now the second most intense hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic, Stacey Thompson was contracted by the United Nations to develop a database system for international relief management and pledge tracking.
Subsequent assignments in disaster management followed, which by 1993 included the updating of existing or drafting of new national disaster plans for most of the English-speaking countries in the Caribbean, the design and conducting of national and regional disaster exercises – notably for emergency telecommunications such as the “Regional RAP” which is still conducted annually today – and the development of Standard Operation Procedures for Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), the design and set-up of EOCs and testing of their functionality.
In 1995, Abacus expanded with a daughter company (Abacus Communications), which provided services related to cable television.
As Abacus continued to deploy full-time experts as independent consultants, it ceased to exist as a commercial company in 2006.
In 2010, following the devastating Haiti earthquake at the beginning of that year, Abacus was reorganized as a non-profit association of experts and renamed Abacus for Communities with a new vision of better preparing communities for environmental and other disasters – and minimizing a set-back in their development in the event of such disasters. Today, Abacus for Communities continues to function as an association of independent experts who deploy as disaster management and community development specialists.
Thank you for your support, your confidence, and your belief in our vision.
[vcex_divider_dots color=”#ffffff” margin_top=”10″ margin_bottom=”10″]
[vcex_button url=”https://www.abacusjamaica.org/make-a-donation” title=”Visit Site” style=”flat” align=”center” color=”white” size=”large” target=”self” rel=”none”]Make A Donation[/vcex_button]
[/vcex_feature_box]
Abacus offers opportunities to volunteer on a continuous basis. Opportunities exist as needed
[vcex_divider_dots color=”#ffffff” margin_top=”10″ margin_bottom=”10″]
[vcex_button url=”https://www.abacusjamaica.org/contact” title=”Visit Site” style=”flat” align=”center” color=”white” size=”large” target=”self” rel=”none”]Volunteer[/vcex_button]
[/vcex_feature_box]
AfC was created with a “raison d’etre” to build a model of enablement and upliftment of people (teaching to fish – men, women, youth and poor) instead of patronising them by handouts (giving them fish)…. AfC brings with a strong and unique core belief and commitment that communities must in the main, find and adopt self-development mechanisms and while working with government and other institutions, must not wait on them.