Hundreds of Students Receive School Supplies from PMI in St. James

MONTEGO BAY — School supplies valued at $1.5 million have been presented to some 610 students from 28 inner-city communities in the parish of St. James.

The items, which included bags and books, were handed over by the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) of St. James on August 30.

“We are happy to know that as an organisation we are able to target children, those children who are considered to be among the marginalised of society and would not, under normal circumstances, be able to be beneficiaries of these bags and other school items, because their parents or guardians would not have been able to purchase same for them," Chairman of the St. James PMI, Reverend Everton Jackson, said.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, which was held at the PMI's office on Church Street in Montego Bay, Mr. Jackson informed that the back-to-school outreach by the PMI is in its fourth year and that the organisation is pleased to assist the students in this way.

“It is our hope that having presented these school supplies, these students will make the best use of the opportunity and that they will ensure that they perform at their optimum level, so that they will be able to make a positive contribution to society,” he said.

It was a joyful occasion for the many recipients as they collected their back-to-school gift. They reside in the communities of Flanker, Granville, Lilliput, Norwood, Glendevon, Rose Heights, Gutters and Retirement, among others.

Spot Valley High School student, Ameisha Richards, thanked the PMI for the back-to school supplies on behalf of her fellow students.

By Aldeen Campbell, JIS Reporter