The Courts Ready Cash team journeyed through the hills of Clarendon to Kellits High School, where they donated a 1,000-gallon water tank to the institution, a gift that will significantly improve the school’s water storage capacity.

Against the backdrop of persistent drought conditions affecting various parts of the country, Courts Ready Cash has demonstrated unwavering dedication to alleviating the challenges faced by educational institutions in drought-stricken communities through its islandwide black tank initiative, the latest beneficiary of this campaign being the Kellits High School.

The handover ceremony, held on Monday, was marked by gratitude and optimism as school administrators, students, and community members gathered to witness the donation of the water tank.

Principal of Kellits High School, Texal Christie, expressed delight with the donation, and it will go a long way in increasing the school’s water supply. He noted that the impacts of climate change are felt in Kellits, particularly during the recent drought.

“This summer that passed was the hottest…and it was the hottest on record. We are hearing things that this might be the norm, and so we’re really thankful to Ready Cash for this initiative because we’re seeing, especially this last season, with the length of the drought, that we have to [expand] our water storage,” said Christie.

He shared that currently, the institution has facilities to hold 11,000 gallons of water. However, the school’s daily water consumption is around 3,500 gallons a day, which means that during periods of prolonged drought or water lock-offs, the school can only be operational for three days.

“Our capacity will be greatly enhanced by this wonderful water tank. Thanks, Courts Ready Cash for [this] donation,” said Christie.

General Manager of Courts Ready Cash, Atasha Bernard, reiterated that the company’s mandate has always been to give back to the country in a meaningful way.

“We are elated to be able to support Kellits High School in this meaningful way, and we hope that this donation serves as a symbol of our dedication to creating a positive and sustainable impact in the communities we serve,” said Bernard.

Barrington Richardson, regional director from the Ministry of Education, also commended Courts Ready Cash for its initiative, noting that the new tank will reduce the number of days students are sent home.

“We can appreciate that we are in the rural parts of the country, and with that comes its own challenges, and so when there is no water in school, there is no school…It’s not a good [thing] because it negatively impacts teaching and learning, and we want to maximise every school day as per the calendar of the academic year,” said Richardson.

Also in attendance was member of parliament for Clarendon Northern, Dwight Sibblies, who thanked the brand for choosing his constituency as a beneficiary of the initiative. He further urged the brand to explore other ways that they could give back to the nation.

Courts Ready Cash launched its islandwide black tank initiative in July 2023 at Duckenfield Primary School in St Thomas. The initiative aims to provide 10 water tanks valued at approximately J$1 million to primary and secondary schools in drought-stricken areas in Clarendon, St Thomas, Portland, St Mary, and Westmoreland.