Create with Aunty Ama, a Jamaican-based workshop series, garnered enthusiastic praise from parents and children who attended the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) Expo Jamaica 2023 in late April. 

Led by Amashika Lorne, principal director of marketing and communications firm Amashika & Associates Limited, the workshops aimed to educate and entertain young children while exploring Jamaican culture.

Held within the TruSHAKE-sponsored Kidz Village of the event, the area catered to numerous children during the expo’s public days, offering various activities such as virtual reality simulations, bounce-abouts, face painting, balloon blowing, and the highly anticipated Create With Aunty Ama zone.

Lorne shared that the workshop materials utilised in her zone were from her Jamaican-themed colouring book entitled ‘Chat Tu Mi & Colour‘.

The sessions delved into Jamaican proverbs like “one one cocoa full basket,” “nuh hang yuh hat higher than yuh can reach,” and “victory nuh come from lie dung inna bed,” among others. The strategically paired illustrations aimed to teach children the meanings of these proverbs and how they can be applied to various situations.

The public sessions spanned three days, during which Lorne engaged with over 150 participants in six full sessions and four mini sessions on Saturday and Sunday, which were more family oriented. While the target age group was children aged six-10 years old, participants as young as six months and as old as 12 years, along with some parents, took part in the sessions.

Lauren Mahfood, marketing manager for Trade Winds Citrus Limited, expressed the company’s satisfaction with sponsoring the Kids Zone at Expo Jamaica.

“TruSHAKE is a nutrition shake that was created for all Jamaicans to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Introducing TruSHAKE to children as a delicious and nutritious option aligned perfectly with our goals. It was delightful to witness children interact with the TruSHAKE brand and explore its various flavours. We hope they continue to shake & go on their adventures and activities,” she posited.

Parents were effusive in their praise for the workshop, describing it as a valuable addition to the overall event, providing entertainment for their children while introducing them to Jamaican-made products.

Dane Lynch, whose two daughters participated in a session, expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It was fantastic to see the girls engaged in one of their favourite activities, colouring, with content that was suitable for their age. I particularly appreciated the Jamaican focus.”

Previously known as ‘Colour with Aunty Ama’ in 2020, Create with Aunty Ama utilised the platform of JMEA’s Expo Jamaica 2023 to promote Jamaican culture while educating and entertaining children. The expo attracts thousands of attendees and serves as a celebration and promotion of various industries in Jamaica.

Lorne expressed her gratitude for the feedback from parents and students, as well as her team, sponsor, and the event organizers for creating a much-needed experience for children. She looks forward to continuing to educate and entertain youngsters through future workshops, including those for public events, birthdays, school workshops, and online sessions.