For years the Reverend Gilbert Leigh, the founder of the Caribbean Children’s Fund, had a vision to provide Assistance to children at-risk in Jamaica. Reverend Leigh, a son of the Island, hailed from the parish of St. Andrew in Jamaica.


He migrated from the Island in 1951 but had always made individual contribution. For years, traveling back and forth taking gifts of books, clothing and food to benefit the needy families of Jamaica.

Rev. Samuel Strachan , also a native son of Jamaica accompanied Rev. Leigh on his many journeys back and forth to give back something to their homeland. On one of their many visits to Jamaica, they visited the Strathmore Garden Home for abused and neglected children. They both saw the need in this center and at the time the center was up for sale. The owner was retiring ,thus leaving a void for services to needy children. Reverend Leigh saw this as an answer to respond to the burden that God had laid on his heart for years, to help the most needy children in Jamaica. It was also an opportunity to respond to the many different articles published by the United nations regarding abused and neglected children in Jamaica.

In faith, Rev. Leigh entered into a lease agreement and sought permission of the Jamaican Government to have the center licensed under the Obediah Institute which is the official cooperation that sponsors the Caribbean Children's Fund in 1998 the Caribbean Children's Fund was born.