Thousands of Grenadian children, who have had their education severely disrupted following the destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl in 2024, received a welcome boost with the handover of books during a ceremony at the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School (GBSS).
The books, including activity books and adolescent novels, will help to combat the learning loss suffered by the country’s children when 34 schools were damaged or destroyed after the category 5 hurricane swept across the Eastern Caribbean in July last year. Northern Grenada, Petite Martinique, Carriacou and the Southern Grenadines bore the brunt of the storm.
The handover was part of a wide-ranging UNICEF intervention funded through the Government of Australia’s Direct Aid Programme (DAP). Australia’s High Commission in Port of Spain administered the grant to fund UNICEF activities across Grenada, Petite Martinique and Carriacou, as well as St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Dianne Abel-Jeffrey, Grenada’s Chief Education Officer, welcomed the delivery. “I know that our children will be thrilled at receiving all these new books. They have been through so much but have remained committed to their education, and this is one more post-Beryl intervention to help them achieve their potential.”
The books will be distributed to 34 schools across the country, benefiting over 10,000 children.
The Australian High Commission welcomed the opportunity to partner with UNICEF to assist Grenada’s recovery following the hurricane. High Commissioner Sonya Koppe said, “We are pleased and proud to support the children in Grenada, Petite Martinique and Carriacou get back on their feet. Education provides a vital stepping stone to a successful future and must always be a key priority.”
There have been a number of other UNICEF-supported interventions funded by Australia following Hurricane Beryl, including teacher capacity building, with educators being equipped with techniques to address learning loss and improve the academic performance of students. In addition, there have been enhanced mental health and well-being interventions for children to help them cope with trauma and emotional distress.
AbdulKadir Musse, UNICEF’s Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area, said, “We recognise and appreciate these key interventions under Australia’s Direct Aid Programme. UNICEF stands ready to work with partners to help ensure that children, their families and their communities are supported as they recover from emergencies and rebuild their lives.”
UNICEF
