MORE than 80 children from communities around the Kingston Harbour benefited from a Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited-sponsored back-to-school initiative recently.

The initiative, according to a release from Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL), included a medical fair, book drive and the award of more than 20 scholarships.

The scholarships were awarded to primary, secondary and tertiary students, all of whom are children or grandchildren of fisherfolk from landing sites around the Kingston Harbour.

In addition to the scholarships, KFTL employees also facilitated a drive through which they donated books and funding to purchase supplies for the fisherfolk’s children.

The awards and book supplies were issued at a ceremony held on September 1.

Dr Chanelle Fingal-Robinson, KFTL’s social impact specialist, noted that “this initiative is part of the entity’s efforts of helping to improve the lives of fisherfolk in surrounding communities”.

She added that the initiative is one of several corporate social responsibility programmes that KFTL employs.

A vendor whose child benefited from a scholarship expressed her gratitude.

“I am very grateful to KFTL and JFCU (Jamaica Fisherman’s Cooperative Union) for partnering to provide us with these scholarships. It has been a huge help to me and to others in assisting us to get our children ready for back to school,” Maxine Brown-Dorma, a vendor from the New Forum Fishing Village, said.

The back-to-school medical fair was done in partnership with doctors from The Paediatric Place, and was held on August 26 at the New Forum Fishing Village, Port Henderson Road, Portmore, St Catherine.

Children from surrounding communities received medical examinations, including eye tests, urine tests, blood pressure and blood sugar tests, among several other services. The patrons also received dental hygiene supplies from Great Shape! Inc, a charitable non-profit organisation which provides literacy, dental and eye care services to Jamaicans in several communities.