MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Local representative of the charity group, Christel House International, Sally Porteous, says plans by that organisation for the opening of a school in St Catherine come September remain unchanged, despite the recent death of founder, Christel DeHaan.

“Everything was put in place and will happen as planned as she (DeHaan) would have wanted,” Porteous, a former custos of Manchester, who is CEO and chairman of Christel House Jamaica, told the Jamaica Observer by telephone last week.

Porteous followed up with an e-mailed release saying: “Christel House Jamaica will open its doors to the children of Spanish Town and the neighbouring communities on September 7, 2020. On this day, 180 children between the ages of 5-7 years will start a journey that will put them on the path to success. The school will continue its expansion until it reaches the maximum capacity of 840 students.”

The students will be drawn from families who can’t afford fees, transportation costs and other expenses required for proper schooling, Porteous told the Sunday Observer.

After graduation at age 18, students will be assisted through tertiary education, she said.

The school, now in its final stages of construction, is located on just over 10 acres of land, close to the Jose Marti High School, just outside Spanish Town.

German-born Christel DeHaan, who emigrated to the United States as a young woman and built a fortune from business ventures, died last month after a long illness at age 77.

She founded Christel House International in 1998 with the aim to lift children out of poverty through education, health care and allied initiatives.

Christel House International projects currently serve thousands of children in India, Mexico, South Africa and the United States. The Jamaican facility will be the eighth such school.

In paying tribute to DeHaan last week, Porteous described her as “one of the most wonderful and remarkable women I have ever met … she was a woman with a big heart who was at her most comfortable trying to break the cycle of poverty”.

According to Porteous, while many wealthy people spend their money on luxuries including private jets and mansions, DeHaan remained committed to doing her part in helping to eradicate poverty.

She first came to Jamaica in 2014, at the invitation of Porteous to assess the suitability of a school being located here.

She returned in 2017 to “pretty much” seal the deal, Porteous said.

Porteous told the Sunday Observer that the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed the recruitment drive for the new school. Parents from adjacent communities who feel the need for assistance for their children could still apply for places, she said.