As you can see we are in desperate need of building materials. Please contact us to ask about specific items we might need, including doors and windows.

School supplies are always needed as well as "story books". Quality learning toys (new or lightly used), blocks, art supplies, paper, counting blocks, laminated educational posters, kid sized desks and chairs.

The story as told by a visitor from California named Nancy

I teach kindergarten in California & spent 4 days volunteering at this little school in Cudjoe's Hill last spring when I was in Jamaica. (The web-site photos were taken by me; that's me in the last photo, surrounded by the kids on the steps of the small church adjacent to the school :~).

I can assure you that this little school was in dire straits when I visited...the children sat in large,metal folding chairs ( borrowed from the church) at rickety, broken-down old tables. One old blackboard & scruffy pieces of chalk were the only teaching materials. Students brought a lined notebook & a pencil from home & that was it! When it rained ( frequently!), the rain poured in the open windows & doorway & we all huddled together in the middle of the room, but got soaked anyway!

I brought books & classroom supplies for the children & have since sent over more.
What the school could use most is cash, for improvements to the building & for appropriate classroom furniture. The Jamaican government provides virtually no funding for pre-school/kindergartens...They are supposed to be "community-sponsored", but how can a poverty-stricken community support a school??

It is easy to send money from the USA ( try "moneygrams")...Perhaps this might be a rewarding project for a USA-based Sunday School or Church group, a Youth Group or a women's group...anyone interested in helping out a very dedicated teacher ( Ruth McLish) & a group of very eager little learners.
Feel free to contact me via e-mail for further information.