MONTEGO BAY, St James — For families and students starting the new academic year, it’s been a period of overwhelming emotions — a celebration of milestones, excitement to physically reunite with friends, and anxiety to face the unknown.

To help meet some of the needs for the new term, the Sandals Foundation has invested over $21 million to strengthen key infrastructure of learning institutions across the Caribbean, touching the lives of more than 3,700 students and making the transition a bit easier for families and the school administrators alike.

Here in Jamaica, in addition to infrastructural upgrades or the provision of learning resources, instructional materials to students in over 50 schools, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International also continued its investment into the installation of water catchment facilities and handiwashing stations at three primary schools in St Ann, Hanover, and Westmoreland.

Through a continued Coca Cola Latin American partnership and implementation by the Ministry of Education National Education Trust (NET), over 470 students at Bethany Primary, Mt Ward Primary and Infant School as well as Dundee Primary schools will see improved availability of potable water to help maintain clean surroundings and the well-being of staff and students for years to come.

Since 2020 the Sandals Foundation has engaged the support of numerous local and international partners to install water catchment facilities and hand-washing stations in approximately 17 schools across the island. The development creates solutions to the perennial water challenges faced by many learning institutions within rural communities.

Director of operations at Sandals Foundation Karen Zacca attributed the reach of the foundation’s efforts to the strength of the partnerships that have been formulated over the years.

“Partnerships are a huge part of our work as it is through these relationships that we are able to see the needs within communities and ensure projects become a reality,” Zacca said.

“By working with organisations that share in our vision,” Zacca continued, “we have created a strong network of corporate relationships that converge to effect sustainable change.”

She added: “From local suppliers, delivery drivers, to Ministry of Education partners, every action counts in getting schools the support they need for our young ones. We are grateful to every partner in our education sector and will continue to embrace new partnerships that help us see to the sustainable development of the sector,” said Zacca.

Further, Donna Jowerhill-Williams, principal of Dundee Primary and Infant School, said the newly installed water tanks and hand-washing stations have brought marked improvement.

“We do not have piped water, and over the years we have depended on water harvesting technology that was not sufficient to meet the needs of both our upper and lower schools. These tanks have significantly improved our water flow, with all tanks now overflowing,” said Jowerhill-Williams.

Moreover, Shirley Moncrieffe, director of donor projects at NET said, “Sanitation and water are two very critical human rights, and the lack of its access is unacceptable. NET and the Sandals Foundation have collaborated to ensure that our children have adequate access and supply and we invite and encourage as many Jamaicans and supporters of education to reach out to us to help make a difference in the lives of our children. We want them to sow their seeds in the fields of education, for its harvest can only bring forth a brighter future.”

Across the Caribbean, the Sandals Foundation has provided school furniture, digital devices, and provided cafeteria and school kitchen upgrades. Through its ambassadors at various Sandals and Beaches Resorts, the team has held numerous back-to-school fairs, distributing thousands of backpacks stacked with learning resources to support vulnerable families. The foundation has also facilitated teacher training and literacy workshops to help meet the new and evolving needs within the classroom.