In Westmoreland’s Savanna-la-Mar, a critical humanitarian situation persists as approximately 50 survivors of recent hurricane devastation remain inadequately housed at the severely damaged Godfrey Stewart High School. Among the vulnerable occupants are multiple children, including an infant who required hospitalization after falling ill from exposure to winds penetrating broken windows.
The living conditions present alarming challenges, with displaced individuals sleeping on classroom desks minimally cushioned by sponge fragments. Particularly concerning is the situation of a visually impaired man occupying a perilously elevated desk without proper care or hygiene assistance.
Despite previous assessments by Ministry of Social Security officials who examined destroyed homes and promised substantial housing solutions by November, no subsequent updates or assistance have materialized. The victims now face additional uncertainty as the school must eventually resume educational functions, potentially leaving them without shelter.
Address this gap, businesswoman and philanthropist Dr. Patricia Smith has spearheaded relief efforts through her foundation. In collaboration with the Secret Heart Spiritual Church led by Apostle Ray Foster, she has established temporary housing solutions including a converted 40-foot shipping container and multiple four-sided tents on her property. Dr. Smith has personally invested approximately US$10,000 (J$1.6 million) in installing essential sanitation facilities and water tanks, with equivalent additional funding required to expand support.
This initiative constitutes the second phase of her foundation’s comprehensive strategy to stabilize victims until governmental institutions implement permanent solutions. Dr. Smith’s commitment stems from personal experience—having endured homelessness herself at age ten. She has directed proceeds from her autobiographical work ‘I Persist’ toward the relief effort and actively seeks corporate and individual partnerships to bolster foundation resources.