Spanish-Jamaica Foundation Treats Students Ahead of New School Year

Over 600 students and parents from Barrett Town, Rose Hall and adjoining areas of St. James, recently participated in the second back-to-school health and information fair staged by the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation in collaboration with the Social Development Commission (SDC).

The event was held at the John Rollins Success Primary School in Rose Hall, and saw students benefitting from counselling services, immunization and medical examinations and school supplies. Activities were carried out under the theme: ‘A healthy start is the best start’.

Representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), among others, were on hand to deliver vital health tips and useful information for both students and parents.

General Manager of the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation, Dr. Rebecca Tortello, told JIS News that the foundation was pleased to have partnered with the SDC in staging the health fair, which she said, was “a great success”.

She further informed that representatives from the Barrett Town Police Station and the Jamaica Fire Brigade participated in the event by setting up education booths and making presentations on road safety, stranger awareness, and fire safety tips.

Representatives from LIME Foundation were on also hand to distribute books, backpacks and other giveaway items to the enthusiastic students.

Project Officer in the Spanish Jamaica Foundation, Vanessa Meggoe, said that the fair was expanded this year to “reach the entire community and the whole family, where more persons could be impacted on”.

“This back-to-school health fair represents the Spanish –Jamaica Foundation’s way of giving back to communities that have supported their organisations over the years, which includes Hospiten/MoBay Hope, Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, Montego Bay Jamaica Airports Ltd., and Grand Bahia Principe Hotels and Resorts,” she added.