Deepak Vaswani (left), honorary vice-president of the Rotary Club of Kingston, and Christopher Issa, president of the club, meet with students of Harbour View Primary School in St Andrew yesterday. Behind them is the play area that was one of several projects handed over to the school yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Nine months ago, Deepak Vaswani, the honorary vice-president of the Rotary Club, saw the Harbour View Primary School for the first time.

"It was a jungle," he said yesterday. "The walls were broken down and unpainted, the students were lacking things, there was dirt everywhere."

Vaswani added that, when he first went to the school, he was "struck" by the people.

"They are so loveable here, the principal, the teachers, and the children! Just meeting them was so uplifting," he exclaimed. "And I realised how much could be done through this school, for the community and the children."

Today, the Rotary Club has indeed achieved great things with the school. The structure, serving 1,500 children for the last 45 years, now boasts a new playground, freshly painted, restructured walls, a new computer centre, fans and light fixture in every classroom.

Sharon Williams, a teacher who has been working at the school for the last 28 years, said the Rotary Club's generous renovations have made a dramatic change to the school.

Good for the children

"I feel very good about it - it's given the place an uplift. Not just the aesthetic beauty, but it's good for the children, you know?" she said. The students themselves swarmed the playground, clinging merrily to monkey bars and waving. A group of shy but excited grade-two girls expressed how happy they were to be at their school.

"Its fun!" said one girl.

"And, and, and it helps you learn," another chimed in.

Principal Lawrence Wright remembers being approached by the Rotary Club about doing renovations but said, laughing, "I did not know the extent of the project. The changes have brought satisfaction to the teachers and students, with the much more comfortable learning environment. And the parents just love what is happening here."

Chris Issa, president of the Rotary Club of Kingston, said he was happy about the level of success the club has had with the project.

"It's very encouraging to see this work out, and it is motivation for similar projects in Kingston," Issa said.