When Hurricane Melissa tore across the island in October 2025, it left behind a familiar trail of destruction—roofs ripped away, classrooms flooded, and early childhood institutions once again among the most vulnerable. But amid the devastation, a compelling story of foresight, resilience, and quality construction emerged, led by schools built by the CHASE Fund.
For more than two decades, the CHASE Fund has been quietly reshaping early childhood infrastructure across Jamaica. Since 2002, the organisation has invested in the construction of purpose-built infant school facilities designed not just to educate, but to endure.
At the heart of this achievement is a clear philosophy, articulated by CHASE Fund CEO W. Billy Heaven: “When we build a school, we are not simply putting up walls and a roof—we are creating a place of safety, dignity, and continuity for our children and their communities. Storms will come, but our responsibility is to ensure that learning, hope, and protection remain standing long after the winds have passed.”
Mr. Heaven explained that this long-term view has guided every CHASE Fund intervention. “We were committed to ensuring that schools were properly built and ready for occupancy, which is why most of these projects include the provision of furniture as well. Hurricanes like Beryl and Melissa remind us that quality construction is not optional—it is essential.”
Building with resilience in mind
Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), the CHASE Fund strategically placed emphasis on structural integrity, improved roofing systems, reinforced foundations, and overall build quality. That strategy proved decisive.
When Hurricane Melissa struck in October 2025 with high winds and torrential rainfall, infant schools constructed by the CHASE Fund across some of the most severely affected parishes remained standing and secure. Post-hurricane assessments revealed no structural damage—clear evidence that lessons learned from previous storms had been successfully embedded into stronger construction standards.
A site visit to Bounty Hall Primary and Infant School in Trelawny underscored this success. Principal Ilna Greyson confirmed to CHASE Fund project officers that while sections of perimeter fencing were damaged by fallen trees, the infant school building itself remained fully intact. Subsequent inspections found no hurricane-related structural damage.
Similar visual and technical assessments across multiple CHASE-built institutions produced the same results: the buildings were structurally sound and fully capable of withstanding extreme weather events. Hurricane Melissa became the ultimate test—and these schools passed.
Schools as safe havens
Beyond their educational purpose, several CHASE-built infant schools became literal sanctuaries during the storm. Some facilities were used as emergency shelters, offering safety and stability to residents displaced by Hurricane Melissa.
The Infant Department at Bickersteth Primary and Infant School in St. James, was renovated by the CHASE Fund. A section of that department is currently being used to house homeless persons in the aftermath of the hurricane—powerful evidence of the broader community value of resilient public infrastructure.
“This speaks volumes about the quality of the construction and the foresight behind these investments,” Mr. Heaven noted, praising CHASE’s management team, contractors, consultants, and the rigorous site supervision applied throughout its projects.
Among the schools built and renovated by the CHASE Fund that successfully withstood both Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa are:
- Unity Primary and Infant School
- Bounty Hall Primary and Infant School
- Farm Primary and Infant School
- Buckingham Primary and Infant School
- Pondside Primary and Infant School
- Christiana Moravian Primary & Infant School
- Roses Valley Primary and Infant School
- Leeds Primary and Infant School
- Santa Cruz Primary and Infant School
- Happy Grove Primary and Infant School
- Lacovia Primary and Infant School
- Friendship Primary and Infant School
- Bickersteth Primary and Infant School
As climate-related events grow more frequent and more intense, the experience of 2025 delivers a clear and urgent lesson: resilient construction is not a luxury—it is a necessity. For hundreds of young learners and the communities that depend on these schools, the CHASE Fund’s commitment to building to last has made all the difference.
