I Believe Initiative Ambassador donates hand sanitiser/soap dispensers to alma mater

The Meadowbrook High School in St. Andrew had benefited from the donation of two automatic hand sanitiser/soap dispensers as it prepares for the resumption of face-to-face classes.

‘I Believe Initiative’ (IBI) ambassador and former head boy of Meadowbrook High, Dr. Romario Simpson, handed over the items on Thursday (Sept. 17) during a ceremony held in the school’s auditorium to officially launch a hand hygiene programme.

A total of 10 schools in St. Andrew – five primary and five secondary – will benefit from the donation of hand sanitiser/soap dispensers under the programme, which is being spearheaded by the parish’s IBI ambassadors.

Dr. Simpson, who is IBI lead for St. Andrew, underscored the importance of proper hand hygiene, especially in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He said that regular cleaning of the hands, through washing or sanitising, is one of the major ways in which persons can fight the virus, along with wearing a face mask and practising physical distancing.

The young medical doctor noted that the donation of the dispensers will help to ensure that the beneficiary institutions can reopen safely and learning can take place.

He said that other ambassadors will be making similar donations next month at The Queen’s School, St. Barnabas Early Childhood Development Centre and Providence Primary School, noting that the objective is to complete the handover of the dispensers by December.

Custos Rotulorum for St. Andrew, Dr. Patricia Dunwell, who attended the handover ceremony, welcomed the hand hygiene programme.

“We are in unprecedented times with COVID-19. It’s a confusing and a challenging time so it’s a most appropriate way of serving a whole group of persons or schoolchildren by providing dispensers for sanitising,” she noted.

Acting Principal of Meadowbrook High, Kevin Facey, in accepting the devices, said it warms his heart to see that a former student has returned to give back to the school.

“It just proves that our Meadowbrook family is alive and well and is thinking about ways to serve our community, so I want to encourage Dr. Simpson to continue in that vein and to know that it is appreciated,” he said.

In her remarks, National Coordinator for the Governor-General’s Programme for Excellence, Sonja Simms, noted that Dr. Simpson, who was appointed an IBI ambassador in 2019, is making a valuable contribution through his Destiny Hope Foundation, which he started in 2017.

She noted that he is already on his second project this year, with the first being a fundraising effort to benefit the Abilities Foundation of Jamaica.

The IBI is the service-oriented arm of the Governor-General’s Programme for Excellence. The objective is to motivate and inspire youth to believe in themselves, achieve their God-given potential and to give service to their country.