Improved sanitation for Epsom Basic School

Students and staff at the Epsom Basic School in Greater Portmore, St Catherine, are set to benefit from improvements to the school's sanitation facilities when the new school year begins, thanks to Access Financial Services (AFS).

The school was one of 25 recipients in the AFS 'Access Hope' community initiative launched earlier this year as part of the company's 25th anniversary celebrations. Principal Sharon Rose has praised the organisation for its $250,000 contribution that went towards the work done on five bathrooms at the school, which serves 166 students in the community.

"We have had cracked face basins and broken toilets for a while now. We knew we had to get new ones, but the funds were not enough. We were so happy when we got the call from Access Financial, and the money came right in time. Access has truly been such a blessing to us," said Rose.

Renovation work on the school's bathrooms was done in partnership with local contractor Japp's Plumbing which was engaged by Access Financial. Rose added that along with the obvious improvement in the overall aesthetics of the bathrooms, the teachers now have spaces that are more conducive to teaching the students about personal hygiene, especially in the post-pandemic reality.

"For many of our students, school is where they learn the proper technique for handwashing. Our students are between the ages of two and six years old, and at this age, they share a lot of germs. So having proper sanitation facilities is critical. It makes it easier to show them the right way to do things, the importance of turning off taps and how to keep themselves safe from germs," Rose explained.

The school's donation was part of a $6.25 million giveback initiated by the microfinance entity, which, according to CEO Hugh Campbell, was aimed at inspiring hope and powering possibilities for Jamaican communities.

"Access Hope is our way of showing support in a tangible way for the many communities that have supported our business over these 25 years. Through our branch network of 17 locations, we identified schools, community groups and other organisations where we feel we could make a difference, specifically around education," he said.

"We have long been persuaded of the fact that when our schools and communities have what they need to thrive, then we all thrive, and that includes businesses like ours. It's therefore important for us to do what we can to help them," added Campbell.

Under the Access Hope initiative, nine children's homes run by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency each received a $250,000 grant towards education support. Several other groups, including schools and community-based organisations also benefited.