KINGSTON, Jamaica — After Hurricane Melissa left it roofless and flooded, Chester Castle Basic and Primary School is beginning to recover with a grant from the German Embassy.

When Hurricane Melissa struck on October 28, the school lost its entire roof, allowing rain to pour through every floor and flood classrooms, destroying books and teaching materials.

Afterward, the entire building had to be washed down with bleach to address mildew and mole. What was once a place of learning became a site of loss.

A request submitted by Professor Opal Palmer Adisa, who has adopted the school, led to the German Embassy providing funds to repair the roof and fence.

Equally important, the railing that once protected children from falling into the nearby river that was blown away by the hurricane has also been rebuilt.

German Ambassador Jan Hendrik van Thiel recently visited the school and spent several hours there watching the children displaying a stellar performance of Caribbean Christmas songs and scripture.

Their voices carried joy, faith, and resilience despite the challenges that Melissa brought.

Palmer Adisa pointed out that the reality remains heart-breaking as 75 per cent of the children lost their homes. Some are still living in shelters; others have been relocated as far as Kingston.

She noted that the school itself essentially lost everything and remains without electricity. One teacher shared that the clothes and shoes she was wearing that day were gifts because she too lost her home in the hurricane.

Hendrik van Thiel commended the students on their behaviour and performances as he praised their strength and resilience.

The German ambassador also congratulated Principal Patricia Palmer for the work that she and her staff were doing and had done to get the school up and running despite the severe damage.

“Chester Castle is an indigent rural community, like so many others that have been neglected for decades. This is not unique to one parish or one school. In recent weeks, I have visited five other schools in St. Ann and Westmoreland, and the needs are overwhelming. These schools require more than sympathy; they need committed individuals and institutions willing to adopt them and ensure they receive sustained support,” said Palmer Adisa

“I am enormously grateful to the German Embassy and Ambassador Teal for showing up, for witnessing firsthand the children’s performances, and for standing with this community. Because of this support, when school resumes in January, the children of Chester Castle Basic School will be able to return. But returning is only the first step.

“The school still needs furniture. It lost its only computer lab and urgently needs computers and tablets. It needs books of all kinds so children can read, imagine, and learn. I am doing as much as I can, but I cannot do this alone,” added Palmer Adisa as she urged Jamaicans of means to adopt rural schools like Chester Castle.

“Our children are resilient, talented, and hopeful. What they need now is our collective action to help them stand tall and thrive,” said Palmer Adisa.