Student donates 450 masks to two primary schools

At 18 years old and in upper-sixth form at Hillel Academy, Kashish Thakurani is on her way to carving out a career in the medical profession.

However, achieving that goal will not give her true satisfaction, which can only come if she is able to fulfil a real passion of hers, which is helping her community.

For years, Kashish’s parents, Larry and Kajal Thakurani, have been involved in assisting communities and individuals in St Ann and this has clearly impacted Kashish, to the point where she now sees the need to follow in their footsteps.

She finally got her charity work off the ground recently when she donated 40 dozen masks to two schools in St Ann – the Breadnut Hill and Beecher Town primary schools.

“As a career, I am leaning towards the health profession because I do want to do something that will help people, because health is a big thing. It’s an essential job, but I do want to continue community service,” Kashish told The Gleaner.

“For this project, I wanted to do something to help people, because my family has always been involved in community service, and we usually go to homes and stuff like that, but because of the coronavirus all of that stopped,” she explained.

Kashish added: “So I was trying to find a way to do something while following the (COVID-19) protocols and being able to help people, and I came across this women’s group, the Bonny Gate Women’s Group, that makes masks.”

Impressed by both the objectives behind the work being done by the group from Bonny Gate, St Mary, and the quality of the masks, Kashish immediately began thinking how she could incorporate what was in fact a community-based project into her own efforts to give back.

“And I was like, there are these primary schools and times are tough ... they’re going to need a little help. There is an additional financial pressure for many people – the purchasing of masks and other things – to be able to abide by the protocols. So I decided to get the masks and donate to some primary schools close to St Ann, where I live, and that’s what I did.”

Of the total, 350 masks were assigned to Breadnut Hill and 130 to Beecher Town.

On handover day, a late development prevented Kashish from journeying to St Ann from Kingston, where she goes to school, but her dad adjusted his schedule to ensure that the presentation took place.

He was proud of his daughter.

“This is a great move from a young adult who can take time from her very busy school schedule, applying to university and stuff, to see that there is a need in our community, in our schools,” Thakurani said.

“I’m absolutely not only proud, but excited that Kashish has taken the time to be a good citizen. I think she is a good role model.”

Principal of Breadnut Hill Primary School Sherron Minott expressed appreciation for the masks and two soap dispensers that were added by the donor’s father.

“I just want to express profound gratitude for this donation, and I want you to express this to your daughter,” Minott told Thakurani.

“It is really something that we appreciate and I know it will go a far way to assist the students, because sometimes they come without a mask. This will enable us to give them a mask when they come in (without one),” Minott added.

Ayanna Williams, the head girl at Breadnut Hill Primary School, which was having classes for Primary Exit Profile students when the masks were taken there, expressed thanks to the donors on behalf of the school and students.

“On behalf of the Breadnut Hill Primary School, we thank you for your donation. Your donation will really help us. Thank you,” she said.

All students present at the class were given a mask immediately.