AT the start of the new academic term, administrators at Eber Kindergarten & Preparatory and Alva Primary & Infant are focused on one priority: restoring safe, functional learning environments for their students. Months after Hurricane Melissa disrupted school operations across western Jamaica, recovery efforts continue, shaped by resilience, partnership and a shared commitment to ensuring that learning can resume with dignity and stability.

Eber Kindergarten & Preparatory, established in 1998, sustained significant damage when the hurricane tore through its main upper block. Five grade five classrooms were destroyed, along with bathrooms, the library, offices, and a special needs unit that supported students with learning and developmental challenges. The school also lost windows, air-conditioning units, office equipment, and essential learning resources.

“Beyond the physical damage, the biggest challenge has been rebuilding a sense of normalcy for our school community,” said Thesia Trench Douglas, vice-principal. “[For] the new term, our focus is on creating spaces where students can feel safe, supported, and ready to learn again.”

In the weeks following the storm, the disruption affected attendance, staffing, and daily operations. Some families were temporarily displaced, and the school was forced to merge classes and use temporary tents to accommodate students, particularly those preparing for national examinations. Despite these challenges, teachers and administrators continued to report for duty, often while managing personal losses at home.

Alva Primary & Infant also faced considerable setbacks. While classrooms remain usable, the school lost its library, computer room, principal’s and clerical offices, intervention rooms, auditorium, and sections of its roof and windows. These losses disrupted teaching, administration, and student support services at a school that serves 183 children.

“Restoring these spaces is critical to how we support our students academically and emotionally,” said Claudine Brown-Bartley, principal of Alva Primary & Infant. “They are central to how our school functions, and their loss has been deeply felt.”

Together, the two institutions serve a combined population of approximately 820 students and teachers, all navigating recovery while planning for the year ahead.

In response, the D&G Foundation provided $400,000 to each school to support urgent repairs and stabilisation efforts. The support was delivered in partnership with Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, reflecting a coordinated corporate response designed to move beyond immediate relief toward sustained recovery.

The assistance forms part of Let Regrow Jamaica, an evolution of the foundation’s Let’s Grow Jamaica initiative. Originally designed as a school-based programme promoting learning through gardening and sustainability, the initiative was adapted in the wake of Hurricane Melissa to respond to the changing needs of affected schools.

“Let Regrow Jamaica reflects our ability to adapt our programmes when circumstances change,” said D&G Foundation Lead Volunteer Daika Mitchell. “Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, we assessed where support was most urgently needed and responded in a way that would have immediate and practical impact.”

School leaders welcomed the support, noting that it provides critical relief at a time when recovery resources remain limited.

“This contribution allows us to address urgent priorities as we prepare for reopening,” Douglas said. “It signals continued care and partnership at a moment when schools are rebuilding both physically and emotionally.”

Additional support was facilitated through corporate partnerships. The D&G Foundation funded building-material certificates valued at $400,000 each, which were redeemed through Hardware & Lumber. Pepsi supplied drinks and water, the D&G Foundation donated Malta beverages, Jamaica Biscuit Company provided snacks, and KFC contributed boxes of food to Alva Primary & Infant.

Principal of Alva Primary & Infant Claudine Brown-Bartley (left) shows D&G Foundation representatives Daika Mitchell and Dennis Beckford the most critical damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.