The Lions Club of Tortola, in partnership with the West Indian Association of Bermuda, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Agriculture and Fisheries and Ministry of Health and Social Development today February 9th at an official Handover Ceremony donated a Bus to the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre. The ceremony took place in the parking lot of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School which is the temporary home of the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Irma in September in 2017, the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre lost its school home which is yet to be reconstructed. Following a long period of displacement, the school was relocated to a room at the Althea Scatliffe Primary School where they remain to this day.
The Lions Club of Tortola reached out to the school in September 2019 to see how they could assist with its needs which included computers, a TV and a school bus for transporting the students to their homes and for field trips. In March 2020, the Club, along with corporate sponsors Infinite Solutions and Mourants donated four Ipads and a 65-inch Smart TV to the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre. The Club also committed to further assist with getting a School Bus.
In August 2019, the Club was approached by the West Indian Association of Bermuda who had raised $20,000 to assist the Virgin Islands following the devastating hurricanes of 2017. They agreed to partner with the Lions Club of Tortola to use the funds for a community project. The Club agreed to apply the funds towards the purchase of the School Bus for Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre. The funds were supplemented by donations of $9,000 and $5,000 from the Ministries of Education and Health, respectively.
Present at the handover ceremony this morning was the Principal of Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre Mrs. Vancitart Huggins alongside Lion Club Members and Government Officials, many of which delivered remarks at this auspicious occasion. This was indeed a great display of community volunteerism and public-private partnership at work for the continued recovery of the Virgin Islands. Live coverage of the handover ceremony can be found at 284 Media Facebook page.