Two hundred students from basic schools in Trench Town, Kingston, benefited from a fun day hosted by the Project Kase Foundation on Tuesday to help remedy a shortage of school resources in the community.
The tiny tots from the Trench Town Seventh-day Adventist and Victory Basic schools were given knapsacks filled with school supplies. The youngsters also enjoyed a delicious meal as well as face-painting, among other activities for the day.
"We started out with a feeding programme, providing balanced meals to basic and primary, school students, but it catapulted us to really catering to the individual needs of the schools," said Tenuke Doyley, project director of the Project Kase Foundation.
Doyley said the project was a partnership with several local and overseas entities and that the supplies were valued at US$10,000.
"Some parents are not paying school fees, students are turning up without supplies, and the school has been fulfilling the individual needs of the students; and they can't do it alone. This is just one way of us trying to help the students directly," said Doyley.
For Shanise Mendez, parent of a six-year-old boy at the Victory Basic School, "The school supplies really drop in real good because him can rotate books; and books that he is getting otherwise he can read them and even start saddle up for primary school from early."
"Sometimes some of the parents can't even find money for the lunch," said the cook at Victory Basic, Krista Dunn-Thompson, who noted that some 60 students are enrolled at the school. "The principal still tries to provide for them, but we need the help and are very grateful for it."
Named after Kasi Bennett, girlfriend of sprint legend Usain Bolt, the Project Kase Foundation aims to appease the needs of basic-school students in various parts of the island.
Doyley said that in September, the Foundation will adopt two other basic schools and revamp a playground in the community.