Jamaica's Jeana Lindo, who won a global contest to participate in the European Union's (EU) video series on its work in partner countries, along with Dan James, a Portuguese resident, have kick-started their exciting adventure in Jamaica. For one month, and spread across five parishes, the vlogging duo will visit 8 of the EU's development projects in areas such as HIV, maternal health and gender-based violence, report on them through video blogs.

The vloggers share a love for photography and are excited for Jamaicans to join them on their journey of discovery under the EU's Faces2Hearts programme.

Dan and Jeana will have the opportunity to meet and connect with people who are bringing positive change to their communities and some of those whose lives are changing for the better thanks to EU support.

"I'm very excited to be in Jamaica, to see some of the stories of what's going on here," said Dan, a travel photographer and writer. "The biggest education you can get is to go somewhere and talk to someone; reading a book is great; watching a documentary is great but to physically sit to have a coffee or rum or Red Stripe with someone and learn about their way of life and their family …for me, the closer you get to people, the further you can travel".

Jeana admits she wasn't fully aware of the development work of the EU but following a presentation at EU headquarters in Brussels; her interest is now at peak levels. "I'm looking forward to travelling to the Cockpit Country, seeing this area that we've been trying to protect. I would like to see how we can make these videos in an interesting way and share the work that's being done – to see the impact on people's lives."

Jeana and Dan are among 20 vloggers from across the globe visiting EU projects in partner countries to document video stories of the impact of EU support aimed at creating an equal, fair and prosperous future for everyone. The vloggers visited Brussels for an orientation in 2019 ahead of their assignments.

Between February 4 and February 24, Jeana and Dan will visit projects in Kingston, St Andrew, St Mary; St Ann; Trelawny:

• Poverty Reduction Programme (PRPII) - targeting social development in volatile areas;
• UNDP EU Minerals Programme - artisanal alabaster work and training for youth and women;
• Civil Society Boost Initiative: Phase 2 – Civil society organisations capacity building;
• PROMAC - support in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals relating to maternal and child health;
• Southern Trelawny Environmental Agency (STEA) - eco-tourism project;
• Sustainable Livelihoods in the Cockpit Country – sustainable management of natural resources;
• Reducing Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence against Women - reducing HIV-related stigma and gender-based discrimination;
• Banana Programme Facility – supporting smallholder agriculture and local producer groups.

You can find the vlogs at @EUinJamaica Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram pages. You may also find them @Europeaid Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels, or by subscribing to the Faces2Hearts YouTube channel.

You can also follow their journey and obtain more information about the campaign on the Faces2Hearts website HERE.

Background information

Faces2Hearts is a global campaign which takes 20 international vloggers to some of the most remote places in Africa, Asia and Latin America to cover EU development projects that are changing people’s lives for the better. Last year, the campaign reached over 30 million people across the globe.

Faces2Hearts is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, which aims to help end poverty and create a safer, fairer and more prosperous world for all.