The Hopewell Primary School is located on the Southcoast of Jamaica between Blackriver and Treasure Beach. 138 students at the age of 6 to 12 attend the school from grade 1-6.
One of the main problems of the Jamaican education system are the high costs that have to be covered by the parents. These costs include everything, such as school uniform, school supplies (books, pencils, rulers, etc.), food and transportation. This can easliy amount to a sum of about $ 550 per kid per year, which is fairly high considering an average income of about $ 2.150 per capita.
What is needed?
The school requires everything related to teaching material and school supplies, such as:
- pencils
- pencil sharpeners
- erasers
- crayons
- markers
- colouring books
- rulers
- set squares
- compasses
- ballpens
- highlighters
- scissors
- glue
- chalk
- etc.
They also need things such as paper, writing books, etc. Unfortunately it's rather uneconomical to send such heavy items via post, and the luggage you can take along on a plane is limited to weight and a certain number of pieces. Therefore we're also depending on donations, so these things can be purchased on site.
Current project:
Our current project is concerning this year's graduates. 24 pupils will leave the school in July to move on to secondary school. We'd like to provide each of these students with a "start kit" for the new school, which is made up of things like pens, rulers, compasses, etc., depending on the individual needs of the graduates.
If you'd like to help or have any questions, please send an e-mail to hopewell@soon-come.de.
In case you're travelling to Treasure Beach and want to bring some school supplies with you please ask for Nicola Sanderson at the Golden Sands Guest House (Frenchman's Bay), she can establish a contact with the school. Unfortunately the school has neither telephone nor internet access.
We'd like to thank the Kiwanis Club Karlsruhe for their donation and support of the Hopewell Primary School. Further information about the Kiwanis Club Karlsruhe can be found at www.kiwanis-karlsruhe.de.
We'd like to thank the Old Table (table 46, Karlsruhe) for their donation and support of the Hopewell Primary School. Further information about the Old Table can be found at www.old-table.de/index.htm.