Ghetto Youths Foundation (GYF), founded by Stephen, Damian, and Julian Marley, fulfilled its vision to be generationally impactful in communities where opportunities are scarce with the opening of Cornerstone Learning Centre in Trench Town last Wednesday.

“This project came directly from the community as a request to from a bridge for support. Young people in this community need overall academic support, personalised tutoring, test preparation, and computer literacy classes. While there are generous teachers who are handling classes on their verandas or in living rooms, what was needed was a facility to structure the learning, to make it sustainable and more impactful. This facility can be a game-changer for this community and not just for today or six months, but for generations to come,” Eva Silverstein, GYF’s executive director, told the gathering at the opening.

 The centre boasts three rooms: a main academic study hall, a computer lab, and a learning library.

Miami-based Hotwire Communications donated high-speed Wi-Fi cabling and wiring throughout the facility as well as 40 laptops, and three 50-inch SmartTVs, each with a Sonos Bar speaker system.

Similarly, the learning library room was adopted by the Alacran Foundation and directors Alessandra Lo Savio and Rohan Marley, outfitted the room with all the tools necessary to enhance literacy at every age.

“We hope to impact hundreds in this community; our doors are open to everyone,” said Silverstein. Parents will have to register the children, ages eight to 18, to have access to the facility, and adhere to a code of conduct.

The Cornerstone Learning Centre officially opens on Monday, February 17, 2020 and operates Mondays to Fridays from 2:30 to 8:30 pm. On weekends, children will enjoy programmes around cultural and personal development.