Thank you to all our donors! All proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards the successful implementation of this project. Every donation is making a difference for the 141 students at the Mount Hermon Primary and Infant School.

Build a Classroom in Jamaica!

$10,654
71%
Raised toward our $15,000 Goal
56 Donors
Project has ended
Project ended on December 06, at 09:00 AM CST
Project Owners

Support Education in Riversdale, Jamaica!

Summary

We are Projects with Underserved Communities (PUC) Team Jamaica 2024 - 2025! Our group comprises of seven undergraduate students from the Cockrell School of Engineering and the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. 

We aim to provide a healthy learning environment and education opportunities for students of the Mount Hermon Primary and Infant School in Riversdale, Jamaica. We hope to achieve this by (1) converting a kitchen into a functional classroom for the 38 students of the Infant School, and (2) preparing another room to be used as an E-learning space for the primary students. After a year of planning, our team will begin the implementation phase of our project in May 2025. 


Mount Hermon Primary and Infant School in Riversdale, Jamaica 


Understanding the Project

After the closure of a nearby primary school in Riversdale, Jamaica, its students were sent to Mount Hermon, where there are more schoolchildren than classrooms. 

Primary Objective: Infant School Classroom

Currently, 38 students of the Infant School are crammed into small classrooms or outdoor verandas where there is little space for themselves, their bookbags, and lunch bags. As a result, their bags are left on the patio to be exposed to the environment's winds and rains. 

As the school is up for re-certification by the Early Childhood Commission, the school's officials want to renovate an unused kitchen into a classroom for the students. 

Typical classroom of the Infant School
Classroom on the veranda


Student's bags left outside the classroom
Unused kitchen to be converted to classroom


Secondary Objective: Primary School E-Learning Classroom

The officials have also expressed a desire to set up an E-learning space, or computer lab, for the students of the Primary School. There is a run-down classroom that could be converted to this space. To meet the building requirements for proper ventilation, the room also requires renovation.

Walls need to be boarded up and holes need to be filled
Room needs to be cleaned up


Collaborating with Our Partners

Throughout the fall and spring semesters, our team will be planning and fundraising for the builds. We have partnered with United Way Jamaica (UWJ), the principal of Mount Hermon Primary and Infant School, and our technical advisors (professional engineers on PUC's advisory board) to support the success, impact, and sustainability of our project.

We will maintain ongoing communication with UWJ and the principal to ensure we address their needs effectively. Additionally, we will actively consult our technical advisors to confirm that our designs and plans are structurally safe and sound. In Jamaica, we will work alongside contractor and skilled laborers to help with the construction.

Together with our partners, our team is dedicated to successfully delivering this project, benefitting the current and future generations of students of Mount Hermon. 


Helping Us Accomplish Our Goals

We are raising at least $15,000 to accomplish our two aims to positively impact the students at the Mount Hermon Primary and Infant School and its surrounding community. Your donation and support will go towards the materials, contractor, labor, and technical advisor costs. Any amount is a step towards the success of this project. Please donate today!

Levels
Choose a giving level

$25

Implementation Year

The project is estimated to be implemented in 2025

$49

Islands

Number of islands in Jamaica

$141

School Impact

Total number of students of the Mount Hermon Primary and Infant School

$220

St. Catherine Elevation

Average elevation (in meters) of St. Catherine, the parish in which Riversdale resides in

$300

Colors

The 3 colors on the Jamaican flag represent sunlight, difficulties, and agriculture

$500

Population

Population (in thousands) of St. Catherine

$1,000

One Classroom

Convert an unused kitchen to one classroom

$1,548

Long Travel

Distance (in miles) from Austin, TX to Riversdale, Jamaica

$1,985

United Way of Jamaica

Year that UWJ was founded

$2,003

Early Childhood Commission

Year that the ECC was founded

$3,000

Classrooms

The additional classroom will result in 3 classrooms for the Infant school

$4,409

Community Impact

Population of Riversdale (as of 2009)

$10,000

Large Island

Approximate area (in square kilometers) of the island

$15,000

Thank you!

Amount we need for the project. Thank you for your support!

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