Christel House Jamaica: Uplifting Students, Empowering Families, Transforming Futures

In August 2020, young Shavary McFarlane stepped through the gates of Christel House in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine, as a grade-two student.

Now enrolled in grade seven at the institution’s newly opened high school, both he and his mother, Onica Buchanan, stand as living testaments to the transformative power of a holistic approach to education.

Christel House Jamaica currently provides 477 under-resourced children with comprehensive support designed to help them thrive academically and transform their futures.

Speaking during the school’s fifth anniversary and ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 7, Onica Buchanan shared her hope that her children will receive a better education than she did.

“Growing up, my mother couldn’t afford to send my sister and me to school, so we split the days. I attended two or three days per week and she went the other days,” she recalled.

Ms. Buchanan said the vision she held for her children began to blur, following her divorce and relocation from Montego Bay with her sons.

“I came with nothing and stayed with my family; then I moved into a one-room house in the back. But it is not in good condition and doesn’t keep out the rain – everything gets wet. At night, in the community, sometimes the boys hear things they shouldn’t. I sit up with them when they cannot sleep because of gunfire,” she detailed.

Ms. Buchanan said the children’s father is not involved in their lives, and her ability to work has been limited due to her youngest son’s asthma and other health challenges.

Christel House Jamaica removed the greatest barrier to her children’s education – access.

“I know that if I had to find school fees and lunch money for my boys, they would not be at school every day; and the Christel House bus means I don’t have to worry about them with danger on the road. Each of my boys has different strengths and challenges. I have seen them grow at Christel House,” she proudly shared.

Speaking of her eldest, she said Shavary has always been bright, but he struggled in school after the divorce.

With steady encouragement from his class teacher and his own determination, Shavary McFarlane earned recognition as the most improved student.

“I used to have to check his homework. Now he gets it done on the bus before I can even ask. He is doing well, and he’s offering to help his younger brothers,” the mother said.

She is confident that the strides her sons have made will continue to multiply as they advance in their educational journey.

“With Christel House, I know it will happen. I have grown too. I have learned a lot from parent workshops and I just completed HEART/NSTA Trust Level I and II Customer Service Certification, offered at Christel House. I hope to take the next level this year,” Ms. Buchanan shared.

For his part, Shavary said his parents’ divorce had a negative impact on him, pointing out, “I was always fighting and causing trouble”.

“ I was in a bad mood and I used to skip every single class, including PE (Physical Education),” he recounted.

Shavary shared that when he started at Christel House, he was very shy because he didn’t know anyone; so, he kept to himself and focused on his schoolwork.

“The teachers, especially Ms. Dwyer, helped me to feel more confident and less depressed. Now, I feel more mature, more intelligent and much more fit, because I don’t skip PE anymore,” he said with a chuckle.

Shavary pointed out that he was elated when he received the Top Boy award along with several other accolades in grade six.

“I am excited about starting high school and the new subjects we are taking, like Geography, Technical Drawing and Industrial Techniques. I have always loved maths, but now robotics is my favourite subject,” the student said.

Shavary noted that he has not yet decided which career path he will pursue after high school.

“I want the future to pick what it wants for me. Maybe I could be a CEO (Chief Executive Officer), and I know I want a wife, three boys and to live in a big house. For now, I plan to take in the education and follow in Mrs. Christel DeHaan’s footsteps,” he said to much laughter.

The late Christel DeHaan, a German-American businesswoman and philanthropist, founded Christel House International in 1998 and developed a holistic school model designed to move children and their families out of poverty.

Christel House Jamaica has sister schools in South Africa, India, Mexico and Indianapolis.