A group of Jamaicans in South Florida have undertaken to repair the Woodford Basic School in Kingston, and Epping Forest Primary School in St Elizabeth, two schools that were damaged last year during Hurricane Ivan.

Dahlia Walker-Huntington, Advisory Board member of the Jamaican Diaspora Foundation, made the announcement at a recent community meeting of the Jamaican Diaspora in North Miami.

Walker-Huntington said funds would also be provided to pay at least one teacher for a year. This money, she said, would come from donations at several fund-raising events and contributions from the South Florida Diaspora.

Members of the Holy Family Episcopal church in North Miami have also donated an undisclosed sum of money from a special collection for the Woodford Basic School, while two Jamaican architects have agreed to lend their expertise to the project. Reverend Dennis Grant of Restoration Ministries in Fort Lauderdale also sponsored a classroom at that school.

Meanwhile, Hot PC Deals, a computer retail company, has donated some equipment to the Epping Forest Primary School.

The group of Jamaicans are scheduled to visit the island for Homecoming Week, which will be observed from October 15 to 22.

Homecoming Week, now in its second year, is an initiative of Hands Across Jamaica for Righteousness, which was founded by Jamaican author, Yvonne Coke, and has been endorsed by Governor General Sir Howard Cooke and leading public and private sector entities in Jamaica.

The national event, under the theme ‘Let’s Take Our Country Back’, aims to promote national pride through the process of rebuilding, restoring and renewing families and communities.