Non-profit steps in to help Clarendon children, teachers rebuild

As communities across Clarendon continue to recover from Hurricane Melissa, Winsome Wishes for KIDS (WWKIDS) is helping children, families and teachers rebuild their daily lives, and their sense of stability and hope.

Morgan’s Pass, a community in the parish’s northern hills, was severely impacted by the Category-5 hurricane that struck the island in October.

Working with Morgan’s Pass Primary School, WWKIDS provided six weeks of groceries and essential supplies to three of the most severely affected families, many of whom remain displaced and reliant on neighbours for shelter. The organisation has also committed to supporting the school’s breakfast and lunch programmes through the end of the academic year to help ensure children can continue learning with consistency.

Recognising the emotional toll of the disaster, WWKIDS arranged psychological support for teachers through its partner, Dr Karine Clay of Higher Potential for Learning. Each teacher and staff member also received a supermarket gift voucher, a meaningful gesture in a rural community still navigating recovery.

WWKIDS also hosted a small Christmas celebration for 60 students and 11 teachers and staff, offering moments of joy during a difficult season.

“The squeeze I got from one teacher when she received her voucher, that was priceless,” said Simone Sobers, founder and president of Winsome Wishes for KIDS. “Adding a little joy to a teacher’s grocery cart matters. These educators are carrying so much, supporting traumatised children while navigating their own challenges at home.”

The school’s principal added, “One of the families we supported has been quietly facing homelessness. The mother sent her children to school with only hot tea that morning and asked them not to tell anyone. When the groceries arrived, she was in tears. She told me it felt like an answer to prayers, she had whispered just days earlier while cleaning a church, asking God for mercy, and help to feed her children.”

Disaster-related learning disruptions disproportionately affect children from vulnerable communities, widening existing gaps and increasing the risk of long-term setbacks.

“When families are displaced and communities are fractured, literacy becomes a lifeline,” Sobers said. “Books, meals, routine, and supportive teachers help children regain stability. That’s why WWKIDS remains committed to showing up, not just with supplies, but with sustained support.”

“Disasters don’t just interrupt schooling, they disrupt a child’s emotional foundation for learning,” she added. “Supporting literacy, emotional well-being, and our teachers is essential if children are to recover and thrive.”