Walls of security at Bellas Gate Primary

Typically a home away from home, school is a haven for children where they learn, play, form lasting relationships and experience personal development. By March 2019, the growth of the children at Bellas Gate Primary School will be further propelled through enhanced safety measures that will begin with the construction of a perimeter fence along a section of the school's hilly terrain.

Faculty members were often distracted from the business of teaching and learning, focused as they sometimes were on security due to the absence of a perimeter fence. Residents from the community often use the school as a shortcut during their travels; and a non-existent fence also makes it easier for students to leave the premises without permission, and for animals to wander into the schoolyard.

Principal Georgia Claire led appreciation on behalf of the school as Bellas Gate Primary received a boost to its school enhancement project to the tune of $100,000, a gift from the Desnoes & Geddes (D&G) Foundation.

"Safety and security are of utmost importance at this school. This is why it is important for us to construct the fence so that we can create a better and more secure learning environment for the children. It will help to remove the unnecessary pressure of teachers also acting as security guards, thereby allowing them to better focus on teaching students," said Claire.

The donation was one of 56 grants of $100,000 each, given by the foundation at a recent ceremony. D&G, through its '100 For A Century' campaign, gave away 100 gifts to Jamaica in 2018 as the company celebrated a century of operations.

Another beneficiary of the D&G Foundation is Tania Brown-Plummer, president of the Jackson Town Community Development Committee, who will use the funds for improvements at the neighbourhood's community centre.

"We are extremely elated to receive this gift, because we have been looking for ways to move our development plans along in a timely manner. Right now, the community centre has nothing in terms of sanitary facilities, so with this grant we will be able to start the necessary instalments soon," said Brown-Plummer.

CHANGING LIVES

In their mission to build a better Jamaica, Red Stripe, through the Desnoes & Geddes Foundation, has been working to change the lives of Jamaicans through collaborative community development and nation-building.

Said Noel DaCosta, chairman of the D&G Foundation: "Instead of hosting a celebratory party for our 100th anniversary, we decided to give back to Jamaica. Red Stripe was built on an ambitious dream to become a world-class brewery and 100 years later we have achieved that goal.So, it is important to us to do our part in supporting members of communities and helping Jamaicans to realise their dreams."