D&G Foundation promotes empowerment
IT’S been more than 40 years since Junior Rowe has been at the helm of the Riverton Meadows Early Childhood Centre (ECC), an institution described by many as a pillar in the community.
For the people of this area, the ECC is more than just a school, serving also as a nursery where parents can leave their young charges safely while they go to work, for job interviews or training.
“Riverton is a unique place. Most families here come from economically depressed backgrounds. Still, they want to improve their children’s lives through education; this is what inspires our work at the Riverton Meadows Early Childhood Centre,” said Rowe, adding that despite its key contributions, the beloved institution remained uncertified due to a lack of basic funding.
As part of its overall support for back-to-school initiatives within the school community in and around the Spanish Town Road area, the Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Foundation stepped in to assist, adding sweat equity to a donation of appliances and other items.
The team from the D&G Foundation received a warm welcome from staff and students when they arrived to carry out much-needed repairs to the school’s nursery and donate items critical to the school’s accreditation process.
The donated items include sanitisers and masks, a refrigerator, baby changing stations, and wall fans to increase ventilation.
“There is no questioning the importance of the work Mr Rowe and his staff are doing in the community. You rarely see this level of student engagement, especially at schools in underserved communities. Our admiration for what they have accomplished compelled us to assist Riverton Meadows in achieving accreditation. There is already a good foundation to support student learning and development; all they needed was some support to take them to the next level,” said D&G Foundation accountant Dennis Beckford who led the work team.