MEDIA RELEASE - 18th School In 14 Months Opened Under Food For The Poor Jamaica 50 Programme

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FOOD FOR THE POOR DELIVERS EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT TO THE PEOPLE OF BRAETON


18th School In 14 Months Opened Under FFP Jamaica 50 Programme


Kingston, Jamaica – November 28, 2013: Today, Food For The Poor (FFP) officially opened the new Reliance Basic School which it constructed in Braeton, St. Catherine. The new facility is like an early Christmas gift for the people of Braeton, as it brought many smiles to their faces and hearts, and cheers of joy.

The new Reliance Basic School was constructed and officially opened under the Food For The Poor Jamaica 50 Campaign, which seeks to build and or upgrade 50 early childhood schools over 50 months, in celebration of Jamaica’s 50th year of Independence. It is the fourth school to be opened in St. Catherine and the eighteenth school to be opened islandwide under the FFP Jamaica 50 Programme.

GOODBYE TO UNSUITABLE CLASSSROOM SPACE
The previous structure housing the school doubled as a community centre. Therefore, it posed serious challenges of unsuitable classroom space, insufficient furniture and inadequate bathroom and kitchen facilities. So bad was the overcrowding that the school had to be constantly turning away many students, whose parents were desirous of enrolling them in the institution. The new school is a significant improvement over the former structure.

The new school is the result of a collaborative effort between FFP Jamaica, FFP Canada, the generous donors based in Canada - Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation- and the Braeton Citizens Association. The new Reliance Basic School will give the pre-primary children of the community the opportunity to learn in a comfortable, child-friendly environment. The school comprises three cosy classrooms, a sickbay, office for the teaching staff, kitchen, and bathrooms.

FFP COMMITTED TO IMPROVING CHILDREN’S WELFARE
Speaking at today’s opening ceremony, Samantha Mahfood, Executive Director, FFP Canada emphasized FFP’s commitment to improving the lives of Jamaicans: “Today is a celebration of our priorities, as a nation and as parents and teachers. Our priorities are our children and our children’s education. This school, this investment in education, combined with strong teaching and parenting, is our children’s path to success today and in the future.”

HELPING HANDS JAMAICA FOUNDATION
She expressed appreciation to Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation (HHJF), the Canadian-Jamaican donors, who financed the construction and furnishing of the school, commending them for being “a group dedicated to education in Jamaica.” Ms. Mahfood pointed out that HHJF previously donated funds for the building of five schools in Jamaica with Food For The Poor Canada and Food For The Poor Jamaica. Those basic schools are: Kings Infant in Long Hill, Westmoreland; Arlington Basic in St. Elizabeth, Bernard Basic in St. Thomas, Caribbean Palm Estate in Kingston and Campbell Castle in Manchester.

The Executive Director of FFP Canada noted that the charity treasured the partnership with HHJF and was also inspired by the philanthropy of HHJF.

She also thanked the members of the Braeton Citizens Association for giving FFP the chance to collaborate with them in assisting the children of the community. “Thanks to the Citizens Association of Braeton for partnering with us to continue to build up your community,” remarked Ms. Mahfood. “Your recognition of the dire straits of the school and advocacy to change it has moved the school from a building that was unsuitable for learning to one that will foster the desire to improve in reading, math and culture.”

She also expressed the commitment of FFP to continue to empower Jamaicans through the Jamaica 50 Programme - of building/upgrading 50 schools, training 500 early childhood education teachers and educating the children - as well as by providing food, medicines, housing, skills training and income generating activities islandwide.

REALIZATION OF DREAM
Judith Royal Gardner, Principal of the school, was overjoyed with the new facility, pointing out that she approached FFP for help after hearing about the launch of its Jamaica 50 Programme in June 2012. Declaring, “Today we are a proud recipient of a brand new building,” she praised FFP for the positive difference in the life of the school, “FFP is the lifeguard that has rescued us from our storms. We now know how the Israelites felt in crossing over to the promised land.” She also praised the charity for providing the institution with child-appropriate furniture, a refrigerator and gas stove, which will enable the school to provide nutritious meals to students.

She said that, despite challenges in the past including lack of its own school building and break-ins, the school has kept true to its name and motto “Striving For The Best”, by providing a reliable, quality education to hundreds of students over the years, many of whom are now making a valuable contribution to the nation. She thanked the former and current school board and staff for working relentlessly to aid the school in overcoming several challenges.

Venice Walker, Past President, Reliance Basic School Parent Teachers Association echoed similar sentiments. Pointing out that the opening of the school was the celebration of a dream come true, she appealed for public support to assist with financing the installation of a perimeter fence for the institution, as well as to ensure ongoing sponsorship of the school.

SUPPORT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMISSION & BRAETON COMMUNITY
Debbie-Ann Pryce-Hoofung, Development Officer for Zone 56, Early Childhood Commission expressed satisfaction that the school had overcome a major hurdle and was now “harvesting” the fruits of their hard work and sacrifice. She pledged to continue to support the institution in ensuring that it continues to implement vibrant, age appropriate programmes which encourage the cognitive, emotional and social development of the children.


Also participating in today’s event were: Hector Rowe, Past Board Chairman of Reliance Basic School who had initiated the efforts of seeking donations for the school; Anthony Wint, Councillor, Braeton Division; Owen Saunderson, former Councillor of the Braeton Division who helped the school in securing the land in which the new building is sited and Bishop Delroy Willis, Valley Christian Ministry International. The children provided entertainment in poetry and song. Some also presented FFP Jamaica and FFP Canada with plaques of appreciation.

-End-

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