Children across the Morne Jaune region of Dominica have gained a vibrant new hub for play, physical activity and social connection, following the formal inauguration of a custom-built playground at Morne Jaune Primary School. This newly completed facility is the sixth project delivered under the Rotary Club of Portsmouth’s signature Playground Initiative, a long-term campaign to expand safe recreational access for young people across the island.
Funding for the Morne Jaune playground was made possible through a partnership with Republic Bank (EC) Limited, which provided financial backing via the bank’s regional “Power to Make a Difference Programme.” This corporate initiative is explicitly designed to support community-focused projects that boost quality of life and strengthen local social fabric across the Eastern Caribbean.
Unlike many single-use school facilities, the new recreational space is built to serve both the enrolled students of Morne Jaune Primary School and children living in the surrounding neighbourhood. Organizers designed the site to be a secure, inclusive environment where young people can gather for unstructured play, organized physical activity, peer interaction, and the social skill-building that is critical to healthy childhood development.
For the Rotary Club of Portsmouth, the project is rooted in a core organizational belief that play is not a luxury, but a foundational component of healthy childhood growth. Beyond simple recreation, the club emphasizes that well-designed public playgrounds offer a wide range of developmental benefits: they help children build self-confidence, foster lasting friendships, improve physical coordination and spark creative thinking, while supporting overall physical and emotional well-being.
Kalisha Aaron, President of the Rotary Club of Portsmouth, framed the project as a dual investment in public health and youth opportunity. “This playground is important for our club as it is part of our efforts to eradicate childhood obesity by keeping our children active. Additionally, it is an investment in our children, their happiness, and their development, as every child deserves a safe place to play, dream, explore, and simply enjoy being a child,” Aaron explained.
The Morne Jaune playground forms part of the club’s broader vision to build child-friendly public spaces in communities across Dominica. Since launching the Playground Initiative, Rotary Portsmouth has worked collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders: local businesses, public school authorities, community leaders, independent contractors, volunteer groups, and local residents, all joining forces to convert underused empty lots and school grounds into safe, accessible recreational hubs for young people.
Rotary leadership has publicly emphasized its gratitude to Republic Bank for turning the Morne Jaune project from a plan into a reality. The bank’s contribution through the Power to Make a Difference Programme, the club notes, sets a powerful example of how intentional corporate partnerships can drive meaningful progress in public education, community development, and youth well-being.
Additional recognition was extended to a long list of contributing partners, including Dominica’s Ministry of Education, the principal, teaching staff, student body and Parent-Teacher Association of Morne Jaune Primary School, the construction contractor and on-site work team, local community members, participating Rotarians, and every individual who donated time, professional expertise or material support to the project.
Looking ahead, the Rotary Club is calling on the school administration and local community to take collective ownership of the new facility, committing to regular maintenance and care to ensure it remains a safe, welcoming space that benefits generations of children for decades to come.
As the sixth completed project under the Playground Dominica umbrella, the Morne Jaune playground marks another key milestone on the club’s journey toward its ultimate goal: ensuring every child across Dominica has access to a safe, well-equipped space to play. The Rotary Club of Portsmouth reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to its core principle of “service above self,” saying it will continue pursuing sustainable, community-centered partnerships with organizations like Republic Bank to deliver lasting positive change across the island.