UWI students deliver care packages to school family

A group of students from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, donated 40 care packages to several pupils and members of the ancillary staff at Grove Primary School in Gordon Town, St Andrew.

Miguel Binns from the Roosters fraternity, on the UWI's Taylor Hall, handed over the packages on May 9 with his fraternity members.

He stated that they wanted to put a smile on the faces of the children and their parents, despite the COVID-19 pandemic that has been sweeping across Jamaica and the rest of the globe.

"We launched Roosters' Nest about three years ago, and the main aim of the initiative was to mentor students and help with the different issues. We recently reached out to the principal and found out that a lot of children would have been facing more challenges now that they are at home, because a lot of them would have their only cooked meal at school. We thought about that and reached out to our fraternal brothers, and they contributed some money and we put together the care packages," he said.

He said that the reaction from the recipients has been priceless, while adding that their charitable deeds will continue as they intend to hand over more packages to the institution in the near future.

"Before COVID-19, we had embarked on a project to establish a math resource centre at Grove Primary, but that work has been put on hold since coronavirus," he said.

Last year, the fraternity entered the NCB Foundation Grant A Wish competition, part of the bank's wider Gratitude Project.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

The members asked the public to help it grant a wish to Grove Primary. The fraternity won $350,000 which it put towards it efforts.

Binns also thanked "other members of the fraternity who have contributed to the establishment of this resource centre, which we will continue after the pandemic passes".

Principal of Grove Primary Natalie Osborne had only praises for the students, who she described as life changers.

"The Roosters flew into our little school in the hills of St Andrew, made a profound crow and captured our hearts. They have mentored, touched and changed lives, and gave us hope that the future looks bright with their selfless acts," Osborne said.