‘TINY TOTS’ EXPLORE COMPUTERS: Students of the Agape Basic School in Seaforth, St. Thomas explore their new computers under the guidance of Desmond King, Social Outreach Officer, Food For The Poor (FFP). The computers were donated by FFP during the official opening of the Agape Basic School on Tuesday, June 18. Participating in the official opening are (from left): Jef and Eileen Christian, Donor representatives; Jean Lowrie-Chin, Board Director, FFP; and Mitzie Dennis, Principal, Agape Basic School. This is the first early childhood institution in St. Thomas and the twelfth school erected during the 12-month existence of the Food For The Poor Jamaica 50 Programme, which seeks to build and or upgrade 50 basic schools islandwide, in commemoration of Jamaica’s fiftieth anniversary of Independence. Food For The Poor built the school with financing from the family and friends of Eileen Christian.
UNVEILING AGAPE: (From right) Susan James Casserley, Projects Manager, Food For The Poor Inc.; Donor representatives Jef Christian and his children Chrissy and Kelly; and Clarence Bedassie, Board Chairman, Agape Basic School, unveil the commemorative sign at the school. They were playing a key role in the official opening of Agape Basic School on Tuesday, June 18. The institution is the first school in St. Thomas and the twelfth to be erected during the 12-month existence of the Food For The Poor Jamaica 50 Programme, which seeks to build and or upgrade 50 basic schools islandwide, in commemoration of Jamaica’s fiftieth anniversary of Independence. Food For The Poor constructed the school with financing from the family and friends of Eileen Christian.
Food For The Poor Opens 12th Basic School In 12 Months
Seaforth, St. Thomas - June 18, 2013: Seaforth in St. Thomas today became a proud beneficiary of the Food For The Poor Jamaica 50 Programme, which seeks to build and or upgrade 50 basic schools islandwide, in commemoration of Jamaica’s fiftieth anniversary of Independence. Food For The Poor today officially opened the new Agape Basic School in the community, which is the first early childhood school in St. Thomas and the twelfth institution erected during the Project’s 12-month existence.
The Seaforth community had a dire need for this basic school, which had its wooden structure razed by fire just over a year ago. Since then, the teachers and students have been sharing facilities with the Seaforth Seventh Day Church of God. With the opening of the new school the over 60 students and teachers now have three comfortable classrooms, kitchen, bathroom facilities, office, sickbay and veranda. The school will serve not only Seaforth, but also the neighbouring communities of Trinity Ville, White Hall and Danvers’ Pen.
Addressing participants at the official opening, Jean Lowrie-Chin, FFP Board Director announced that the school would benefit from another major donation: “We at Food For The Poor are helping to ensure that the children are engaged at an early age, in the use of technology as a learning aid. To this end, we will today be donating N-Computer Kits to the Agape Basic School. The Kits comprise six computer monitors and a Central Processing Unit (CPU).”
Mrs. Lowrie-Chin explained that the FFP Jamaica 50 Programme has so far been “an exciting and rewarding journey” for the charity. She declared that the FFP team has been heartened by the positive difference, which the schools have been making islandwide. Mrs. Lowrie-Chin noted, “Now, a year later on this journey, Food For The Poor has built 12 early childhood institutions in 12 months with this Agape Basic School being the 12th – a flying start to the Jamaica 50 Project!”
The FFP Board Director emphasised that by facilitating and enhancing quality early childhood education for our youngsters, FFP is providing a quality start to the learning cycle of our children.
She expressed appreciation to the Early Childhood Commission, as well as the donors who have partnered with FFP since the project began a year ago. The US-based Eileen Christian, her family and friends, who financed the construction of Agape Basic School, also came in for special mention and commendation from Mrs. Lowrie-Chin. She also thanked the Seventh Day Church of God for its generosity in providing temporary accommodation for the school for over 12 months.
Eileen Christian, Donor Representative and Attorney-at-law, who delivered the keynote address said that the ‘Agape Friends Initiative ‘ was started by her colleagues, Mike and Tracey Moyer. She expressed pleasure that her family and friends had the opportunity to share their resources with Jamaicans who are in need of assistance. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing yourself with us and with our children,” declared Mrs. Christian, whose husband Jeff, and two children, also participated in the opening ceremony. She commented on her family’s motivation to assist Jamaicans: “We are all children of God and we wanted to dignify your children of God by honouring them with a school that honours them.”
Remarking that her children are raised with the blessings that the United States of America have to offer, “but a lack of heroes”, Mrs. Christian said that by donating to the construction of a school, she wanted to teach her children that the real heroes are persons who make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Mitzie Dennis, Principal, Agape Basic School, said she is overjoyed and appreciative of the new facilities. “The new school is much more comfortable and conducive to learning than our situation at the church and even better than the old school that existed before we were accommodated by church,” said Ms. Dennis who has been a member of the teaching staff for the last eight years. The Principal added, “ We want to say a very big thank you to Food for the Poor and the family of Eileen Christian for making our dreams come true.”
Expressions of gratitude for the new building came from Her Worship The Mayor of Morant Bay, Councillor Marsha Francis; and Joan Spencer, Parish Councillor for the Seaforth Division, who represented James Robertson, the Member of Parliament for Western St. Thomas. They both urged the Seaforth Community to take the best care of the facilities. “As Mayor of this parish I am so pleased to see the support given to this parish by Food For The Poor,” stated the Mayor Francis.
Among other persons playing a key role in the event were: Susan James-Casserley, Projects Manager, Food For The Poor Inc., Marcus Irons, Project Coordinator, Food For The Poor Jamaica; Yvonne Edmondson, Development Officer, Early Childhood Commission – Zone 10; Clarence Bedassie, School Board Chairman; Deacons Henry Williams and Gerald Graham, Seaforth Church of God Seventh Day. The students did renditions of cultural pieces.
Food For The Poor (FFP)-Jamaica is the largest charity organization in the country. Food For The Poor Inc., located in Florida, USA, was named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the United States. It is an interdenominational Christian agency that does much more than feed the millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. FFP provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95% of all donations going directly to programmes that help the poor. For more information visit our Web site at www.foodforthepoorja.com
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Contact:
Erica James-King, PROComm, T: 926-6740 or 564-5277
Petri-Ann Henry, Food For The Poor, T: 984-5005 or 564-2886
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