The Forestierre Combined School in collaboration with the Hands Across the Sea officially opened the Forestierre Methodist School Library.

Hands Across the Sea was founded in 2007 with the aim of raising child literacy levels and assisting schools in Eastern Caribbean communities and has worked in six English-speaking island nations of the Eastern Caribbean including Saint Lucia. Using wish lists, the organization takes requests from various entities affiliated with Caribbean schools for books and teaching resources for students from pre-school to high school who need to improve learning and literacy.

Alphia Ernest, Principal of the Forestierre Combined School expressed gratitude to the members of Hands Across the Sea for their donation.

“With the books in the library, students, you have the opportunity to explore different topics, different experiences, new ideas, and to get lost in a world of adventure. You can travel without actually leaving the room. There is a wealth of knowledge in that library that we have established. Let it become a place you enjoy going to,” she said.

Hands Across the Sea has sent approximately 100,000 books to Saint Lucia and reached nearly 30,000 students.

Clara Paul, the literary link for Hands Across the Sea, noted that the organization is dedicated to raising the literacy levels of children all across the Caribbean.

Ms. Paul said: “The procedures are the very same throughout those islands. We get into schools and we meet the principals, and we provide guidelines in order for them to get a successful library created. Then a partnership agreement is signed which ensures that all standards and requirements are met, following which, the library books arrive.”

Parliamentary Representative for Castries South-East, Hon. Guy Joseph donated two computers to the Forestierre library.

“It is my commitment to work with this school and the other schools in my district so that education can be accessible and available to every person who desires it—and that also applies to those who think that they are past the age of schooling, because education is not limited.”

The opening ceremony for the Forestierre Methodist School Library took place on March 11, at the Forestierre Combined School.