STUDENTS at Allman Town Primary School in Kingston are to benefit from a donation of $750,000 from the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations.

Cedella Marley moved quickly to give support to the inner-city school after reading Jamaica Observer reporter Candice Haughton’s, ‘Meagre Path’, published on April 4, 2022 that highlighted local principals’ challenge to feed students on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) programme.

“Cedella contacted me that morning and said that something had to be done,” stated the foundation’s Manager Alicia Williams. “She sent me the article in which the Allman Town Primary School’s principal, Latoya Nesbitt, told the Observer that 583 students are at her school, and almost 200 are on PATH. However, the school only receives $120 per student each day for meals, but lunches cost $300.”

The Bob and Rita Marley Foundations rose to the occasion since, according to Nesbitt, no other stakeholder came forward to assist. Cedella Marley shares, “It’s heartbreaking to learn that there are still children in Jamaica today who are being kept out of school because their parents cannot afford breakfast or lunch.” She hopes that others will copy her initiative, and praised teachers and principals across the country who are facing the challenge of feeding students in need.

Principal Nesbitt expressed gratitude to the Marleys on behalf of her school. In a letter to the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations, the primary school’s principal said that, “It is indeed a pleasure to have you on board as you are literally saving the lives of some of our children.”

She also commended the foundation, which she says “continues to do projects aimed to preserve the spiritual, cultural, social and musical ideals that guided and inspired Bob Marley throughout his life.” Nesbitt credits her team for “producing excellent results in spite of our limited resources,” and noted that the breakfast programme has a great impact on her students’ well-being.

The Bob and Rita Marley Foundations, which provide over 200 scholarships to students from low-income families each year, are encouraging private sector and government stakeholders to provide more support to school feeding programmes across the country. “Education will allow our people to access all types of opportunities across today’s interconnected world, don’t take that away from any of our children,” said Williams.