A Little Story
Our Story
How a mother and son partnership developed - and a legacy lives on.
How a Mother And Son Partnership Developed and a Legacy Lives On
In 2011, Omar Evans decided to take the plunge and join his mother in her educational travel business. He grew up in this business and developed a deep passion for it.
Omar had his visions of how the business should grow and often shared them with his mom. She did not share these visions and a struggle began. In frustration, Omar started his own educational travel company. As each business grew and struggled, Omar started looking at his mother's story and the legacy he could carry on. Guided by this, he approached his mother again to join forces in a mother-son entrepreneurial team.
As Omar recalled, his mother, Maureen, was raised in rural Port Antonio, Jamaica amidst a background of poverty and hardship. Her single mother was a cook for one of the popular coastal guest houses and struggled to make ends meet - yet she was devoted to her only daughter's welfare.
One day, a Canadian tourist couple noticed a young 11-year-old Maureen playing on the beach and they chatted with her about her beautiful island of Jamaica. They were so impressed with her knowledge, spirit, and obvious passion for her country that they wanted to adopt her. They approached Maureen's mother - who they eventually discovered was their own cook - with the idea, but their proposal was denied.
Because they wanted to help her, they insisted on funding her education, putting her through school and helping with necessary supplies. Sadly, when Maureen turned 16, her mother passed away. As Maureen was a gifted athlete, her school gave her a scholarship to continue her education. Along with the help of the Canadian couple, she was able to get the funds to finish school and then college.
That, for Maureen, was a significant gift of giving - one she has never forgotten. It later became the foundation of her purpose in giving back to people, communities, and society.
This same spirit continues in her son, Omar, who lives every day appreciating the gift that changed his mother's life. His driving force is now inspiring others to carry out the same legacy - the gift of giving and thanksgiving.
Today, if you happen to call or visit the business and you hear "Hey Mom," it might just be coming from Omar. This dynamic mother-son team has taken an unconventional path to ownership of their small business. With Maureen's experience and Omar's vision, both have flourished in the summer service adventure and educational travel market. Now with their natural ability to connect with their customers, they are ready to go further and expand throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Our History
1965
A Unique Start
Maureen Wright-Evans, the Co-Founder of Global Service Adventures had a unique start to life as she experienced poverty firsthand growing up in a single-parent household. Her mother worked long hours in a local guest house in Jamaica and had no supervision for her. To keep her safe, she hid her after school in the staff quarters. One day Maureen was playing on the beach and a Canadian couple discovered her and sponsored her through high school. This experience later shaped her career path as she never forgot this Gift.
1969
Loss and Perseverance
At the age of 16 Maureen's mother died unexpectedly. It was difficult for her to remain in school but with the help of the Canadian couple and a track scholarship, despite hardships and challenges, she finished high school and later college.
1971
A Passion for Teaching
Maureen was trained as an English & History teacher and loved it. She realized that her true passion was helping students learn and grow in new and exciting ways, so she offered unforgettable adventure trips that would expand their learning beyond the traditional classroom.
1978
An Entrepreneurial Leap
After dedicating herself to educating students, Maureen decided it was time for a career change. With her enthusiasm and drive for sales & marketing, she confidently stepped into the world of entrepreneurship with an eye on tourism.
1981
Love and Partnership
Maureen's life changed dramatically when she met Audley Evans; not only did they fall in love, but also launched their successful business ventures together. In addition to their professional successes, Maureen and Audley co-parent their three children.
1984
Building Smokey Manor
During this period, Maureen and her husband built their dream home, Smokey Manor, honoring the legacy of Maureen's mother who worked as a housekeeper. This home is at the heart of their meaningful programs.
1990's
Empowering Athletes
Maureen's life was changed by the unexpected gift from a Canadian tourist so she developed a passion for empowering underprivileged athletes to reach their dreams and continue on with their education successfully. She became an inspirational mentor to her children as she guided them in using sports and experiential learning for personal development with the ultimate goal of financing their own educational achievement.
1999
A Scholarship Dream Fulfilled
Maureen's dream of securing scholarships to fund education through sports was fulfilled when her eldest son Kimani reaped the rewards of his hard work, earning a basketball scholarship to the University of Nebraska. This success opened further doors; he went on to compete in the NBA with LA Clippers and Miami Heats before embarking on various professional European leagues.
2001
Jamaica Youth Development Foundation
Maureen realized her vision of creating educational opportunities for At-Risk Youth through the Jamaica Youth Development Foundation - a Not For Profit organization. Through this initiative, she has made an impact towards building a future where all youth have equal access to education regardless of social standing.
2002
Star Search Camp
Through the innovative partnership between JYDF Foundation and Jamaica Basketball Association, the Star Search Camp was born. This has grown to be Jamaica's Premier basketball youth camp and impacted thousands of underserved athletes across Jamaica. This initiative has led to the current success of GSA International Sports Tours - impacting students and athletes with its foundation built on this partnership.
2005
Jamaica Volunteer Programs
Having had success with the sports program, we expanded and launched our first international education program through our new brand Jamaica Volunteer Programs. Our first high school group, Landmark school, traveled to Jamaica from Massachusetts. The expansion and renovation of the family home into a Guest House called Smokey Manor Home Base was realized and now serves as headquarters for our programs. Maureen's second son Omar Evans discovered a deep passion for international sports camps, cultural exchange and the family business during this time - igniting his lifelong love of these pursuits. In the 2000s, Jamaica Volunteer Programs experienced substantial growth of new markets of faculty-Led Programs and custom trips.
2010's
Omar's Leadership
Under the guidance of his mother, Maureen's son Omar, blossomed into a business leader with an inspiring trajectory. While attending university, he sought out several formal opportunities to expand and hone his skill set while also shadowing her in all aspects of their family enterprise. Following several cultural exchange programs in Europe and the United States, Omar returned to Jamaica with newfound energy, and set his sights on pushing his family business forward to new heights. With this new vision, there was expansion and diversification of travel programs themes across several different locations around the island of Jamaica. This was a decade of innovation and success.
2020's
A New Era
The 2020s began with the global pandemic and the temporary stoppage of travel, halting enrollments at most student travel organizations. Travel restrictions have eased and with travel gradually resuming, Global Service Adventures is now at the forefront of this new era as we begin to rebuild our program while innovating how student engagement through international education looks like going forward. Global Service Adventures was created to bring together a variety of Programs under one umbrella: Our offerings include virtual online programs, sports tours, international high school adventures, and unforgettable adventure travel opportunities. Our company is guided by a passion for growth and success. We are committed to helping our students achieve their dreams through innovative learning experiences, empowering them to reach greater heights.
2025
A Bold New Chapter
Under the leadership of Omar Evans, Global Service Adventures entered a bold new chapter of modernizing its programs to reflect the passions and values of a new generation of travelers. With a deep commitment to education, empowerment, and cultural exchange, Omar has led GSA through a strategic transformation. GSA also has begun its expansion beyond Jamaica, launching impactful programs in Barbados, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, each designed to deliver immersive, socially conscious experiences. As GSA continues to grow, its future shines bright, empowering students, uplifting communities, and expanding its impact across the Caribbean and beyond.
