Supporting and investing in education for
children during the early years is one of the smartest things any country can
do to eradicate extreme poverty, promote shared prosperity, while creating the
human capital needed to diversify and grow economies.
Research has shown that early childhood
experiences have a profound impact on brain development; affecting learning,
health, behavior and of course income. One such research was conducted by Gertler
& Heckman in 2014. “A 20-year study of children in
Jamaica by Nobel laureate James Heckman, showed that early stimulation
interventions for infants and toddlers increased their future earnings by 25 percent which is equivalent to adults who grew up in wealthier households.”
There
are many of us in developed countries who understand the benefits of this
investment. Yet, in many underdeveloped and developing countries around the
world, millions of young children are not realizing their full potential due to
inadequate nutrition, lack of early stimulation, learning, nurturing care, and
the constant exposure to stress adversely affecting their development.
According to the World Bank, in low and middle income
countries over 250 million children under the age of 5 are at risk of not
fulfilling their developmental potential.
One such country that continues to face
challenges in ‘Early Childhood Education’ is Jamaica. The plight of ‘Early Childhood Education’ and
the resources needed to make it effective is often overlooked by many, as the
familiar images of Jamaica being a tourist destination with warm sunshine,
friendly people, beautiful beaches, the birthplace of reggae music and having
NO PROBLEMS are far more prevalent. Although all of those aspects are things I love about my country, the
reality is Early childhood education is not funded by the government and in many rural towns,
hundreds of Pre-K and elementary schools
are plagued by lack of basic school supplies and facilities that
would seem standard in the United States.
Early childhood education is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Too
often the far-reaching effects of poverty makes this a luxury. To provide a solution
to the problem that is facing the Island of Jamaica, I have founded the RKM Foundation Inc. in an effort to raise
awareness for the issue and to promote change through imaginative play by focusing
on children ages 4-10 years. I have seen first hand the effects of poverty on
school attendance rate and a child’s ability to learn. I have also seen the benefits an investment
in early childhood education can make. My sibling and I are products of that invest
among numerous others. However, there are many others who were and still are unable
to benefit due to lack of basic resources.
In an effort to be a part of the solution, the RKM Foundation Inc. partners with local
schools and libraries in rural Jamaica to do an annual distribution, we provide;
school supplies and age appropriate games to the schools along with toys and
books for each student. We create
reading, interactive and developmental initiatives with Pre-K and Elementary
schools to promote concepts that are vital to cognitive development and
exposure while expanding the students overall outlook.
Since our inception in 2012 we have impacted over 10,000
children in over 50 schools and 10 libraries. Our aim is to continue to impact the lives of
children in Jamaica through promoting the benefits of early childhood
education. The Goal of the organization is to be the platform for changing the
way the Jamaican government views early childhood education. To find out more about who we are and how you can help us to continue to make an impact visit our website at: http://www.therkmfoundation.org/donations.html
 |
| New Hope Primary - Westmoreland Jamaica |
 |
| Chevely Basic School- Manchester, Jamaica |
 |
| Nightingale Primary School, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica |
