New appeal for Jamaicans to help hurricane-impacted students return to school

St Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation Chairman Donna Parchment Brown has issued a call for Jamaicans, individuals and organisations to come forward and assist students who have not returned to school since Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

In St Elizabeth alone, there have been reports that more than 400 students have failed to return to school since the hurricane, with lack of bus fare and hygiene issues, among other factors, being identified as causes. In addition, the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information said last week it was still unable to account for 335 students across the island, while urging stakeholders to assist in locating them.

The foundation recently launched an initiative to help students, beginning with those attending Newell High School, located in Watchwell in the parish.

The initiative covers bus fares, and personal care and hygiene products.

Speaking with The Gleaner after the launch, Parchment Brown said members of the foundation, assisted by family members, have contributed personally to the initiative, but acknowledged that Newell students are just a fraction of the student population that needs assistance.

“I do think it would be good if, through the Homecoming Foundation or directly to the schools, people would reach out and try and address this problem of the students’ inability to attend [classes],” Parchment Brown said.

She said the further away people are from St Elizabeth, the less they can appreciate the extent to which families have been affected.

“So, parents may have lost their farms, their crops; they may have lost jobs; their houses may have been damaged or roofs removed, and that has had to be the priority. As a result, some students have not been able to get bus fares, uniforms, and so on to go to school.

“So, I call on every caring person and institution who can assist – it may be a small thing – reach out to the school in your community that you have a connection with, or any school in the parish; ask if they have students who need assistance, and see what you can do.”

Outside of pressing issues such as bus fares and hygiene products, some students, especially those preparing for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations, also need textbooks and other items.

As a continuation of its initiative, the foundation last Friday handed over several items to the school, including an inflatable mattress, hygiene and sanitation items, food, and shoes. The items were sourced from friends and family members from Jamaica and the United Kingdom, and from Imani’s Lemon-aid Stand for Kids.

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com