Colour Me Happy sets sights on eighth basic school in 2020 - Annual event runs for sixth consecutive year

Kind Hearts Foundation, the branch of the Richard and Diana Stewart Foundation started by Richard and Diana’s grandchildren, has its sight set on building its eighth basic school in 2020 with funds raised from the sixth staging of the Colour Me Happy Run 5K, scheduled to take place on September 14 in Kingston.

The aim of the Colour Me Happy Run 5K is to raise needed funds to build basic schools for children in underprivileged communities across Jamaica. The Stewart family is the first Jamaican family to partner with Food For The Poor to build a fully furnished basic school, and since the partnership began in 2012, seven basic schools have been built. These basic schools are constructed and furnished after consultation with the Ministry of Education to ensure the schools meet all Early Childhood Commission (ECC) standards. The schools are D. Franks Early Childhood Institution/Greenvale Basic School in Manchester, Top Hill Basic School in St Catherine, Duhaney Basic School in St Thomas, Crawford’s Infant Department in St Elizabeth, as well as New Wine Basic School, Tranquillity Basic School and Windsor Castle Infant Department in Portland.

“Every child deserves access to quality education in an environment that is conducive to learning; that is the ethos behind Kind Hearts Foundation,” said Christina Hudson, one of the directors of Kind Hearts Foundation.

“We want to encourage everyone to get registered and join us on this fun run, as every registration puts us one step closer to fulfilling the dream of every child getting an education,” Hudson urged.

Last year, Kind Hearts Foundation made history as the first Food For the Poor donors to build back-to-back schools in Jamaica. The schools, Windsor Castle Infant Department and Crawford’s Infant Department, are both six-unit structures, consisting of three classrooms with sufficient space for 60 students, ECC-approved furniture, a principal’s office, sickbay, fully equipped kitchen, safe bathroom facilities, playground equipment, fencing and a water-harvesting component for domestic purposes.

Founded by We Got the Runs (WGTR) running club and endorsed by the Jamaica Moves initiative, the Colour Me Happy Run 5K is not your typical road race. Participants are encouraged to dress in white and come ready to be splashed in coloured powder as they complete each kilometre. By the end of the run, everyone feels accomplished and is coloured happy. The race kicks off at 4 p.m. at the entrance of Hope Gardens and takes participants through the picturesque and historical Botanic Gardens, along Hope Road, through the communities of Charlemont, Widcombe, Monterey Drive and others, then back to Hope Gardens. At the end of the race, participants celebrate their personal achievements at the much-anticipated after-party which, this year, is hosted by DJ Sparks.