CFAL Donates School Bags & Supplies
Despite the rise in COVID-19 cases, the plan – until otherwise announced – is for schools to return to face-to-face learning next school year. Today at the Radisson Fort George, a brief handing over ceremony was held where two Belize City Schools and a N.G.O. received school bags and supplies to assist children whose families have been hard hit by the pandemic. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Child First and Last – is a non-profit organization that has been working in Belize for the past eight years. Today three hundred school bags and supplies were donated to three institutions in Belize City to help students transition back into the classroom this coming school year.
Paul Lecky
Paul Lecky, President, CFAL
“We realised that things are tough and especially with COVID, a lot of people just don’t have the funds to buy things to send their children back to school. We believe strongly that if you don’t educate our nation, especially our young children, then we would have lost the generation and put us back a few years. We cannot afford to do that, plus the needs right now are so great, especially people out of work. And we want to see our children in school; we want them to learn. It is the only way we are going to develop a nation.”
The three recipients today were Mirreh’s Ministry, which works with students in remedial and after school classes in the Victoria Street area, as well as students from the Salvation Army Primary School and Wesley Upper Division.
Nicole Welch Middleton
Nicole Welch Middleton, Principal, Wesley Upper School
“COVID has actually caused a knockout punch within our school community; we had been struggling pre-COVID and then it got even worse with the onset of COVID. We were one of the schools that tried the phased in face-to-face approach and it was a real struggle for supplies, school bags and just coming to school. It was a real struggle. So when I received the message and call from Miss Pat, I was elated and I immediately shared with the staff and we were overjoyed to be receiving this donation. The hundred and thirty-five bags and supplies that we will be using will go to a little over fifty percent of our student body and it will be distributed without prejudice and pride.”
Evadney Glenn
Evadney Glenn, Principal, Salvation Army School
“I partnered with CFAL three years ago and ever since I’ve partnered with them, my children have been benefiting from that partnership. We get ten children who are on scholarships and those children get a school bag every year with limited school supplies, but something that is useful for them. And it assists the parents because at Salvation Army, we cater to the children with a lot of needs. It assists those children; the most needy. So this year, giving all of my children a schoolbag; that’s going to be great.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
