32 Rastafari Organizations Unite for USD $500K ‘Relief, Rebuild & Rise’ Webathon

Grammy-winning and global reggae voices, including Julian Marley, Gramps Morgan, and Kabaka Pyramid, join Rastafari-led fundraising effort supporting hurricane-affected communities.

Grammy award-winning artiste Julian Marley

32 Rastafari organizations have united for the upcoming “Relief, Rebuild & Rise” (RRR) fundraising webathon, targeting a USD $500,000 goal to support community-driven initiatives.

Timed with the start of U.S. Black History Month and Jamaica’s Reggae Month, the historic fundraiser reflects an unprecedented level of unity within Jamaica’s Rastafari community. The webathon will stream live on RDDM Media on February 1, 2026.

Among the featured participants and speakers are Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia and grandson of Haile Selassie I; Dr. Julius Garvey; cultural icon Mutabaruka; community activist Rizza Islam; and wellness advocates Priest Kailash and Dr. Bobby Holistic.

Kabaka Pyramid is also taking part in the event. (Photo: Cavaighn Edwards)

Grammy-winning and internationally respected artistes Julian Marley, Gramps Morgan, and Kabaka Pyramid; Ghanaian four-time Grammy nominee Rocky Dawuni; along with Sister Carol, Yami Bolo, Jah9, Spragga Benz, Hempress Sativa, and others are also taking part in the event.

Reflecting on the landmark show of unity, Julian Marley underscored the importance of collective action, stating, “It’s the togetherness that will make us resilient. I’m hoping open hearts around the world show urgent support.”

Two months after Hurricane Melissa, many Rastafari elders and families remain in urgent need, as mainstream disaster relief has failed to adequately address the community’s infrastructural, dietary, health, and cultural needs. Led by the Rastafari Mansions and Organizations (RMO), the humanitarian initiative seeks to provide temporary shelter for vulnerable members and culturally appropriate relief support to five Rastafari community centres across St. James, St. Elizabeth, Trelawny, and St. Thomas, those areas severely impacted by the Category 5 hurricane.

When asked why this fundraising initiative is important to the world, RMO co-chairperson Pamela “Sis Nanny” Williams stated, “This is a call for solidarity rather than charity.”

Also an executive of the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society (the charitable organization designated to manage donations) she goes on to add, “Rastafari globalized the image, language, and sound (Reggae) of Jamaica which attracts billions in tourism spend from people worldwide. Rastafari initiated the mission to legalize the sacrament (ganja), sparked natural herbal practices that have influenced the international wellness industry and advanced core principles of the modern plant-based diet (ital) phenomenon. Rastafari culture is integral to Jamaica’s global identity and has influenced the entire world.”

Established in 2022, the Rastafari Mansions and Organizations (RMO) is a formal coalition of fourteen (14) entities in Jamaica with a common mission of Rastafari unification, upliftment, and collective responsibility. The 4-hour webathon is being organized by RMO and the Rastafari Media and Communication Network, which includes: Rastafari TV, The Lion’s Voice, Jus’ Jah Magazine, Rastafari Jams, Skyline Levels, Ubuntu Foundation, M-Studios, I Never Knew TV, and IjahStars The Mindset. Official partners also include Diaspora Rastafari Council (DARC), Caribbean Rastafari Organization (CRO), Rastafari Continental Council (RCC), Ethiopian World Federation (EWF), I-niversal Development of Ras Tafari (IDOR), Theocratic Reign Order of Nyahbinghi (TRON) and the Global Rastafari Unity Nation Pan African Collective (Global RUN).