Rotary Club of Kingston completes renovation at Salvation Army School for the Blind

The Rotary Club of Kingston says it is pleased to bring to completion the renovation of the early childhood section of the Salvation Army School for the Blind on Manning’s Hill Road in St Andrew.

The lightning-fast renovation only started on August 9 this year, and the critical upgrades include repairing the roof, retiling the classroom, replacing windows, and lowering the bathroom sinks to meet accessibility standards. Additionally, electrical rewiring was carried out by a specialised team and a number of wall fans were also installed to make the learning process more comfortable and enjoyable for the young students.

“This engaging, newly renovated learning space is more than walls, tiles, and paint,” Rotary Club president Tricia-Ann Smith DaSilva shared. “It represents opportunity, dignity, and hope, and it demonstrates what is possible when Rotarians, corporate partners, and like-minded socially conscious friends collaborate to transform lives,” she added.

To date, this exciting project has cost $2.63 million and includes the provision of child-friendly furniture as well as specialised learning tools. The renovation has benefitted tremendously from the participation of a number of corporate entities, including Toyota Jamaica, the National Housing Trust, FutureEvents Ja, Visual Tech Ja, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Food For the Poor, Berger Paints, and Maritime & Transport Services.

Breakout visually impaired dancehall artiste Nigy Boy, who is also a graduate of the school, is the project’s ambassador, and volunteer support was generously provided by MSME Alliance of Jamaica and the Jamaica Defence Force Engineering Unit.

This Salvation Army School for the Blind project aligns perfectly with Rotary International’s theme for the year, “Unite for Good”. It also highlights the Rotary regional district 7020’s call (which includes Jamaica) to “Recognize Needs, Transform Lives” while demonstrating through concrete action how the triptych of service, partnership and compassion can bring about lasting change in communities.

The Salvation Army School for the Blind has long stood as a beacon of hope in Jamaica for educating visually impaired children. The recent transformation will enable the Early Childhood Commission to accredit the facility, and that official seal of approval will open doors for enhanced resources for both students and teachers.