In keeping with its mission to work towards the systematic reduction of poverty in its member countries, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is partnering with the Government of Jamaica to launch a new phase of the Community Investment Project (CIP)/ BRIDGE Project. The project is in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) at a total cost of USD255,175. The CIP/BRIDGE Project seeks to equip families in poor communities with the tools and support needed to improve their financial position. Its overall aim is to provide psycho-social support for families on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), by arming them with information and strategies to access a range of public and private social services. Focal areas include health, education, child protection, disaster preparedness and mitigation, skills training and civil registration. They will also benefit from 12 months of personalised attention from a JSIF social worker. 30 families in the parishes of Trelawny, St. Thomas and Portland will be selected at random to participate in the new phase of the project. To be eligible for consideration, participating families in the CIP/BRIDGE Project must also be registered with the National Health Fund, the Jamaica Drugs for the Elderly Programme and the National Insurance Scheme's NI Gold Plan. Additionally, children ages 6-18 must have an average school attendance rate of 85 percent. The specific communities targeted are: Bybrook, Tranquility, Bangor Ridge, Skibo, Fruitful Vale, Claverty Cottage, Swift River, Black Hill and Balcarres in Portland; Pear Tree River, Airy Castle, Bath, Sunning Hill, Spring Bank, Winchester, Rowlandsfield, Font Hill, Dalvey and Somerset in St Thomas; and Freemans Hall, Joe Hut, Wait-A-Bit, Lorrimers, Rio Bueno, Clarks Town and Kinloss in Trelawny. JSIF's Project Manager responsible for implementing the programme, Nakia McMorris, notes that while over USD151 Million to date has been spent on PATH as a social intervention; poverty reduction remains a major challenge in Jamaica. "The poverty level has risen consistently, moving up to 20.3 per cent, from 16.5 per cent in 2009, according to the Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica," she highlighted. Adapted from and Source of quote: Jamaica Observer