Sprint legend Usain Bolt has partnered with sponsor Puma to donate J$5 million each to St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and his alma mater William Knibb Memorial High in Trelawny to aid in their recovery following Hurricane Melissa.

Both schools were significantly damaged during the passage of the powerful Category 5 storm in late October.

STETHS, located in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, suffered extensive structural damage. Its grade 11 block was particularly badly affected, with the set of classrooms, used by students preparing for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, completely devoid of a roof, according to JIS News.

The grades seven and nine roofs, as well as the principal and teachers’ cottages and the track and field athletes’ dorms, were also significantly damaged. A section of the perimeter wall was also broken away, and the stands, where spectators would gather to cheer on the school’s athletes, were left in tatters following the storm, JIS reported.

At William Knibb, seven buildings on the compound sustained damage, with six being severely impacted including loss of roof, the school reported after the hurricane.

Since becoming a professional athlete, Bolt has consistently given back to William Knibb, with the school benefitting from gear and equipment annually, and other institutions and organisations locally.

Within days after Hurricane Melissa, the Trelawny native sent a team to his hometown and surrounding areas to assess the damage to the area with a view to aid in the recovery efforts.