On Friday 18th January, the community of Charlotte’s Pre School celebrated the return to one of their classrooms, which has recently received extensive renovations by All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response.

This is the third (and final) school rebuild that All Hands and Hearts have undertaken in Dominica since April 2018. They completed Paix Bouche Primary and Pre School in August 2018, Morne Prosper Primary and Pre School more recently this month, and they’ve also had teams rebuilding residential roofs.

Work on Charlotte’s began in early December and was completed this week. The team of staff and volunteers have completely rebuilt the roof, to Caribbean Hurricane Standards and Dominican Housing Standards, as well as doing extensive internal renovations; including laying a new tile floor, installing new windows, repainting the interior and exterior, and providing new classroom furniture.

Ellie Griffies Weld, Partnership Manager, explained that this project had truly been a labour of love, in which All Hands and Hearts’ staff and volunteers here in Dominica had not only carried out all of the physical labour involved, but had also fundraised a large proportion of the money required.

Ellie went on to thank a number of other organisations for their support with material donations, including Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Latter Day Saints Charities, IOM, Dominica Red Cross and the Office of Senator Benoit.

Glenda Bertrand, Principal and Proprietor of Charlotte’s Pre School expressed her deep gratitude to all who’d helped make the project possible and described how excited they all were to return to their school.