Norman Gardens Primary School in Kingston has benefited a great deal from non-profit organisation, Joining Hands in Unison.

In the 2021 to 2022 school year, the organisation’s engagement with the school commenced with support for the institution’s Breakfast Programme, as a strategy to have students return to school after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The significant impact this initiative had on student attendance at the school motivated us to want to do more for these students, their teachers, and the enrichment of their educational experience. This led to Hands in Unison adopting the school and focusing its activities for Child’s Month 2023 on enriching their lives,” Iris Soutar, director of Hands in Unison told OBSERVER ONLINE.

The organisation said it is “most grateful” to volunteers and major sponsors Tastee Jamaica, GraceKennedy, Kingston Hireage, and Food for the Poor.

Joining Hands in Unison was established in 2020 to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and youth. It is committed to establishing networks of support within communities, in order to respond to the needs of children and young people in challenging circumstances; thereby cultivating resilient individuals and empowered communities.

Since the inception, activities of the organisation have focused on providing care packages for families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, back-to-school supplies for students and teachers, sponsorship of school fees, and supporting breakfast programmes for students.

“We believe that a happy childhood is essential for children to grow into healthy, well-adjusted and successful adults and providing warm and loving support is one of the best ways to help them overcome challenges. During Child’s Month 2023 we therefore engaged in a number of activities at the Norman Gardens Primary School,” Soutar said.

This included a general devotion on May 1, a teachers’ day luncheon and presentation of a gift voucher for a laptop to an outstanding teacher on May 10, and a National Children’s Day Special Breakfast and motivational talk for students on May 17.

The school’s Labour Day activity for school improvement was supported on May 23, and a grand children’s treat for students accompanied by parents was hosted on May 27.

“The children’s treat was the climax of the month-long engagement, providing a day of fun, food and games that the 150 students and their parents will recall with fond memories,” Soutar said.

“One student summed up his experience during the fun day by saying, ‘This is the best day of my life!’” she continued. “This statement spoke volumes when we were enlightened about his reality of deprivation. All children deserve a happy childhood and it should be the best and happiest stage of every individual’s life. We achieved our goal to bring the community together; sponsors, volunteers, teachers, parents, to contribute to the children feeling a sense of belonging, valued, socially connected and happier.”

– Romardo Lyons