Blog

Slipe Leased Primary & Infant School continues to serve its students despite being destroyed by Hurricane Melissa. Classes are still happening, but under temporary conditions. Students are learning in limited spaces, and families are still recovering. The school is open, but it is not yet stable.

This Child Month, the Let Us S.O.A.R. Foundation, in partnership with Jamaica Advocates for Peace and Community Development and the Downtown Development Area Committee, is mobilizing support to help restore a sense of normalcy. The goal is simple: ensure that children have a safe space to learn, access to meals, and the basic resources needed to continue their education.

Right now, the needs are urgent. Tents are required to create temporary classrooms. An industrial stove is needed to support daily meal preparation. Many students and families need clothing, food, and hygiene products. The school also needs books and learning materials so teaching can continue without interruption. These are not long-term upgrades. These are immediate necessities.

This effort is about more than supplies. It is about stability. For many children, school is the only place that offers structure and support. When that space is compromised, their sense of safety is affected. Restoring that environment helps them stay focused, engaged, and hopeful.

You can play a direct role in this. You can donate items, sponsor a specific need, or partner as an organization. Every contribution creates a real outcome. A tent becomes a classroom. A stove becomes a meal. A book becomes an opportunity to keep learning.

Take a moment and decide how you can support. Then act. Your involvement helps ensure that these children are not left behind during recovery.

To donate or partner, visit: https://letussoar.com/campaigns/rebuild-slipe-leased-primary-school/

In a quiet corner of Riverton City, where survival often demands more than strength, it demands sacrifice, something powerful unfolded without announcement.

Dancehall artist Blakkman Di Blakk One, known for his commanding voice and cultural influence, stepped into the community not as an entertainer, but as a vessel of purpose. This time, the performance was compassion.

A Mother’s Reality

The visit was not random. It was intentional.

Through the guidance counselor at Seaview Gardens Primary School, Let Us S.O.A.R. (Serve Others Achieve Reciprocity) was introduced to a mother whose story reflects both hardship and unwavering resilience.

A mother of six.

By day, she is what her children need her to be, nurturer, protector, provider.

But by night, while most of the city sleeps, she makes her way to the Riverton dump.

There, under the cover of darkness and surrounded by the harsh realities of discarded waste, she searches for scraps, anything of value she can salvage. Recyclables. Usable items. Pieces of survival.

Not by choice.

By necessity.

Every item she finds is another step toward feeding her children, keeping them clothed, and holding her household together against overwhelming odds.

A Surprise Rooted in Purpose

What she expected was another day in the cycle of survival.

What she received was a disruption of that cycle.

Blakkman, alongside Let Us S.O.A.R., arrived at her home carrying bags filled with essential groceries—rice, flour, cooking oil, canned goods, and household supplies.

But what stood out wasn’t just what was given.

It was how it was given.

With respect.
With intention.
With presence.

More Than a Gesture

This was not charity for show.

This was recognition.

Recognition of a mother who refuses to give up.

Recognition of children who deserve more than the circumstances they were born into.

Recognition that behind every struggle is a story worth honoring—not pitying.

As Blakkman spent time with the family—talking, listening, sharing space—the moment shifted from giving to connecting.

And in that space, something powerful happened:

The burden, if only for a moment, felt lighter.

The Role of Community

This moment also highlights something critical—the role of institutions like Seaview Gardens Primary School.

It was a guidance counselor, someone on the frontlines of children’s lives, who saw beyond the classroom and connected this family to support.

This is what real community looks like:

• Educators who advocate
• Organizations that respond
• Artists who act

Together, creating a network of care where none formally exists.

A Movement, Not a Moment

For Let Us S.O.A.R., this is the work.

Not just events. Not just stages. Not just visibility.

But intentional intervention in real lives.

And for Blakkman, it is a continuation of a journey rooted in lived experience—understanding struggle not from a distance, but from within.

From Survival to Hope

The reality is this:

There are many more mothers like her.
Many more children navigating silent hardships.

But what happened in Riverton City sends a message—

That they are not invisible.

That their stories matter.

That help can find them.

A Call to Action

This is not where the story ends.

It is where it begins.

Let Us S.O.A.R. continues to build bridges between those who have influence and those who need impact.

Because when compassion meets action,
and action meets intention—

Lives begin to change.

Last year, we launched a simple but powerful initiative called Education for All at Seaview Gardens Primary School. What began as a small act of recognition quickly grew into a monthly tradition; one that celebrated not just high grades, but effort, resilience, growth, and courage.

Every month, teachers selected students who were either excelling academically or pushing through personal and academic challenges. These moments of recognition reminded our students of something essential: they are seen, they are valued, and their effort matters.

One of the most meaningful moments in the program was recognizing Ayana, a bright young student with autism at Dunrobin Primary. Ayana’s journey represents exactly why this program exists. Her achievement was not measured by comparison to others, but by her determination, progress, and perseverance. When Ayana was awarded, it affirmed what we believe at our core, that every child deserves encouragement, dignity, and the chance to rise.

As our team reflected on the impact of this work, we realized the program needed a name that fully captured its purpose and aligned with our mission at Let Us S.O.A.R. (Serve Others, Achieve Reciprocity). Through a team vote, Education for All evolved into:

Students Overcoming Academic Roadblocks (S.O.A.R.)

This name reflects the reality of many children’s lives. Some face learning differences. Some face financial hardship. Some face emotional or environmental challenges. And some simply need someone to believe in them at the right moment.

What’s Next

Starting this January, the Students Overcoming Academic Roadblocks program will expand beyond Seaview Gardens Primary School to include:

• Spring Gardens Primary School
• Slipe Leased Primary School

At Spring Gardens, we will replicate the exact model that proved successful at Seaview Gardens. Each month:

• Two students per school will be recognized
• Students will be selected by their teachers
• Awards will honor students who are excelling academically or overcoming challenges
• Recognition will focus on effort, growth, resilience, and improvement, not just test scores

This expansion reflects our commitment to sustainability, consistency, and meaningful impact, doing the work the right way, not the rushed way.

Why This Matters

Recognition changes how children see themselves.

Encouragement can shift a child’s entire academic trajectory.

Belief, especially when it comes from a community, can turn obstacles into opportunities.

Students Overcoming Academic Roadblocks is not about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about reminding students that where they start does not determine how far they can go.

Call to Action: Get Involved

This program grows through community support. You can help us continue and expand this work by:

• Donating to support student awards, supplies, and recognition efforts
• Sponsoring a school or a month of student recognition
• Partnering with us as a business, organization, or community leader
• Sharing our mission to help us reach more supporters and advocates

When you invest in a child’s education, you invest in the future of an entire community.

👉 Join us in helping students overcome academic roadblocks, so they can rise, thrive, and S.O.A.R.

Together, we don’t just reward achievement.

We recognize effort. We honor resilience. And we help build belief.

Kingston, Jamaica – November 5, 2025

They say that in times of need, the sons of the land will return home — and that truth took flight this morning in Kingston.

Jamaican-born pilots Captain Courtney Bramwell and First Officer Damon Lobban, both based in Miami with UPS, made history by commanding a special UPS humanitarian relief flight back to their homeland. This marks the first time in the company’s history that two Jamaican-born pilots have led a relief mission to Jamaica.

The aircraft carried thousands of pounds of food, water, and emergency supplies to support families and communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, the Category 5 storm that struck the island last week. The hurricane left widespread destruction, cutting off electricity, water, and shelter for countless residents.

“This mission was more than just work — it was personal,” said First Officer Lobban. “To return home and help our people means everything to us.”

UPS commended both men for their leadership, compassion, and pride in their heritage.

“Captain Bramwell and First Officer Lobban represent the very best of UPS — professionalism, dedication, and heart,” said a company spokesperson.

As Jamaica begins the long road to recovery, their journey home stands as a powerful reminder of unity, resilience, and national pride.

We thank UPS, Captain Courtney Bramwell, and First Officer Damon Lobban — true sons of the land.

We thank UPS, Captain Courtney Bramwell, and First Officer Damon Lobban — true sons of the land.

My fellow Jamaicans,

This is not just a moment, it is a movement. A time to look within ourselves and ask, “What legacy will we leave behind?”

We are a people known for our strength, our rhythm, our resilience. From the hills of St. Thomas to the streets of Kingston, from the beaches of Negril to the far corners of the diaspora, our spirit is unmatched. We sing freedom in every note, and we carry the fire of our ancestors in our bones. But that fire is not only for performance. It is for purpose.

Too many of our youth are crying out silently. Too many elders are forgotten. Too many fathers are unseen. Too many mothers are overwhelmed. And too many communities are left to fend for themselves.

But here’s the truth: We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

This is a call, not to fame, but to service. Not to spotlight, but to sacrifice. Not just to protest, but to participate. Each of us carries a piece of the solution. Whether you are a teacher, an artist, a taxi driver, a farmer, a vendor, a nurse, a musician, or a student, your hands, your heart, and your voice matter.

We don’t need to wait on foreign aid or broken systems to start healing. We can be the architects of our own liberation. We can build safe spaces. We can fund schoolbooks. We can show up for our youth. We can care for our elders. We can create jobs, opportunities, mentorship, and hope.

Let us rise together, not just for ourselves, but for the generations yet to come. Let us teach our boys that manhood includes tenderness. Let us remind our girls that their dreams are valid and worthy. Let us honor our culture not just in music and dance, but in how we serve one another.

Jamaica is not just a place. It is a promise, one that we must now choose to keep.

So I challenge you: Look around. Find your role. Whether through a foundation, a school program, a street corner conversation, or a community garden, serve. Not because it’s easy. But because we owe it to each other.

This is the time for every man, woman, and child to be part of something bigger than themselves.

Together, let us rise in service.

Together, let us Let Jamaica SOAR.

Protect Our Children from Predators: A Call to Action

Our children deserve to grow up safe, free, and loved. But every day, in too many homes, schools, churches, and neighborhoods, their innocence is being stolen—by those who prey on their trust, silence their voices, and hide behind fear.

This is not just a headline or a statistic. This is real. It’s happening in our communities. And it’s happening more often than we dare to admit.

We must stop whispering about abuse and start speaking boldly. We must stop turning a blind eye and start shining a light. Because every child we fail to protect becomes an adult carrying pain they never asked for.

The Signs Are There. Are We Paying Attention?

Predators often don’t look like monsters. They can be charming. Friendly. Respected. But they are master manipulators. They isolate. They groom. They use silence as a weapon.

We need to learn the signs:

• Sudden behavior changes in a child
• Withdrawal or fear of certain people or places
• Unexplained gifts, money, or attention
• Inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age
• Reluctance to go home or attend school

If a child tells you something that sounds off—believe them. Their voice is often the only weapon they have.

What We Must Do—Together

1. Educate our children early about boundaries and body safety, using age-appropriate language.
2. Listen without judgment. A child who speaks up is already being brave—don’t silence them with doubt or shame.
3. Create safe spaces at home, in schools, churches, and community centers, where children feel protected and empowered.
4. Hold predators accountable—even when it’s uncomfortable. Silence and secrecy only protect the abuser, not the child.
5. Support survivors, not just during disclosure, but through their lifelong healing journey.

It Takes a Village

Our silence will not shield us. Our shame will not save them. But our courage can.

This is a war we must fight not with violence, but with vigilance, compassion, and truth. Let us become a nation where our children are not afraid to speak—and don’t have to.

Because no child should carry a burden that was never theirs to bear.

Let us rise. Let us speak. Let us protect.

Would you like a graphic, flyer, or spoken-word version to accompany this message? I can also tailor it for a school, church, or organization.