|
The
beginning
|
It
started with a family holiday to Jamaica and our first tour of a
rural school there by the principal and an ex-pupil… but not
just any school and not just any ex-pupil. The school was in
Cauldwell, Hanover and the ex-pupil was our mother.
The principal told us about a breakfast initiative that they were starting that would encourage children to attend school and to learn more effectively whilst at school. |
| The next steps… |
With
contributions from friends and family and after several shopping
trips, we filled a barrel with tinned protein, tinned and dried
food, stationery, games and sports equipment and shipped it off to
the school.
|
| Two school terms later… |
The
children were still benefitting from the items which had been sent
and were attending the school earlier and more frequently, which
equated to them learning more.
|
| April 2019 | We decided on repeating the process on a more frequent basis, extending it to include schools in St Lucia and registering as an official charitable incorporated organisation. |
| June 2019 |
With
all of our aims agreed, paperwork in place and our bank account
established, we submitted our application to the Charity
Commission of England and Wales to become a registered charity.
|
| August 2019 |
We
started making contact with government departments in St Lucia and
visited the high commission in London – they
are a wonderful and helpful team of staff if you ever need to
attend
– to identify schools in Vieux Fort that we could contribute to.
The school that our father attended closed some time ago, so we decided the best legacy would be to contribute to schools in the region that he was born and raised in. |
| October 2019 |
With
the Abigail Fitzgerald Foundation now officially a registered
charity, both monetary donations and supplies are being collected
to be sent for the benefit of the school children by the end of
the month.
|
| January 2020 | Following end of year shipping delays, the first official shipment arrived at Pell River School in Jamaica. Children are able to start the new term with stationery supplies, reading books, recreational equipment and breakfast foods – contributing to the school feeding programme initiative. |
| March 2020 | We feel inspired by photos of the childen tending the vegetable garden in the school grounds that they have named Peace Garden. Self-sufficiency is the vision. As safety is prioritised across the world following the Covid-19 outbreak, schools close from mid-March with the children continuing to complete school work from home. |
| May 2020 | Whilst considering how best to assist and provide some value to the main beneficiaries of our charity – school children – we found out that online classes are a main source of learning during the lockdown period. Children access the classes via mobile phones at home. The phones are pretty much a lifeline in their communities rather than a luxury item. As we are not arranging shipments at this time because of school closures, we have contributed mobile phone credits so that the children can access online lessons and not miss out on their valuable education. |