Sandals Foundation has partnered with the Canadian High Commission to restore facilities at Hampton School with the donation of 30 new teachers’ desks valued at some $1.4 million.

The infrastructure will benefit teachers and staff — who serve a population of 1,200 students — at the St Elizabeth-based school which was extensively damaged by Hurricane Beryl in July.

The Hampton School initiative forms part of a wider $5.7-million outreach and disaster relief project under the Humanitarian Assistance programme of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

Under the programme the Sandals Foundation will continue a series of restorative efforts to support the recovery of residents of Jamaica’s south coast who were affected by Beryl.

Dr Mahvell Charlton-Brown, headmistress at Hampton School, says the donation from the Canadian High Commission and Sandals Foundation is instrumental in accelerating its rebuilding process.

“The school lost some 70 teachers’ desks and other pieces of furniture to the hurricane, which saw our teachers working from folding tables in temporary work spaces. This contribution will not only improve efficiency in the delivery of teaching and learning, but, importantly, inspire our school community through the demonstration of corporate resilience and the power of partnerships in education,” said Dr Charlton-Brown.

Speaking at a tour of the school’s upgraded facilities, Heidi Clarke, executive director of Sandals Foundation, said, “Our educators play a vital role in our students’ academic and holistic development. An investment in the infrastructure of our educational institutions also includes an investment in the resources that support our educators.

“We are proud to be selected as a partner of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives Humanitarian Assistance to help the Hampton School community recover in a timely manner”.

CFLI will see to the implementation of a series of restorative projects to support the ongoing recovery efforts of residents’ livelihood and educational facilities.

The Sandals Foundation, for its part, will work closely with partners, local community organisations and government agencies addressing disaster response, to oversee aspects of the project — including monitoring and evaluation of the project throughout its duration.

As part of the wider restorative programme, the Sandals Foundation and Canadian High Commission will work alongside local fisherfolk and farmers partnering with the Abilities Foundation — as part of an effort to address the immediate needs of the targeted groups and build upon their resilience.

“Although recovery efforts commenced in some of these communities, additional and greater assistance is needed to restore normalcy. These communities need rebuilding to secure their livelihoods in their communities,” said High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica Mark Berman.