Wishlist 2026-2027
You can give children the gift of new books and library programs this school year!
Across the Eastern Caribbean, vibrant libraries and creative literacy efforts are continuing to help children grow into confident readers.
1. Strengthen and thoughtfully grow our Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) program.
Continue providing the books, resources, and on-island literacy leadership that sustain strong K–12 school libraries across the Eastern Caribbean, while thoughtfully exploring opportunities to bring the Hands Across the Sea model to additional islands where local partnerships, resources, and conditions make responsible expansion possible.
2. Provide more targeted support for children with specific reading and learning needs.
Build on our Remedial Reading and Special Education Needs work with increasingly tailored collections and resources for struggling and reluctant readers, as well as children with visual impairments, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, and other barriers to reading. As our relationships with schools deepen, we are better able to identify individual needs and respond with resources designed to meet young readers where they are.
3. Continue scaling the Hands Across the Sea Early Pages Programme (EPP).
Expand access to books and strengthen early literacy environments for children ages 3–5, while continuing to support the educators already implementing Early Pages. Through print-rich classrooms, read-alouds, family involvement, educator support, and ongoing guidance from our Literacy Links, EPP is helping establish strong reading habits during the years when they matter most.
Check out the list below to see schools in need of your support this year. Any amount of support helps us to keep young minds and imaginations growing.
If you see a school you would like to adopt or provide for, please write the name of the school in the comments section at checkout.
Adele School (Special Needs School)
Number of Students: 57
Library Need: Special Education and Remedial Reading Collections
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,600.00
Teachers are already using books to enrich learning, and new principal Mrs. Bowen is building on that success with a mobile library. Picture and sensory books featuring popular subjects such as animals, trains, and nature will help bring reading to more children throughout the school.
Antigua Girls High School
Number of Students: 580
Library Need: Secondary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $3600
Through a mandatory Library Skills programme, eight first- and second-form classes are learning how to use the library for research and discovery. Students also choose to read and borrow books in their free time, and new titles will keep these enthusiastic young readers engaged.
Buckleys Primary School
Number of Students: 105
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
Without a dedicated library, each classroom maintains its own shelves, and eager readers often move from class to class searching for books. Fresh titles will strengthen the school’s popular Drop Everything and Read initiative and give every classroom more stories to share.
Cedar Grove Primary School
Number of Students: 133
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
Students and teachers use this library so often that many of its most popular books are now worn and dog-eared. A refreshed collection will reward their enthusiasm and give them exciting new stories to explore.
Charlesworth T. Samuel John Hughes Primary
Number of Students: 54
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Library time is a highlight of the week, and students borrow books selected to match their reading abilities. Current, engaging titles will offer younger students more opportunities to practice their skills and experience the excitement of reading independently.
Freetown Primary School
Number of Students: 42
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
With a full-time librarian, students visit the library during scheduled periods, breaks, lunchtime, and whenever their work is complete. Teachers also rely on its resources for classroom instruction. Updated stories will strengthen this vibrant library and satisfy students’ eagerness for something new to read.
Irene B. Williams Secondary School
Number of Students: 217
Library Need: Secondary Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,400.00
A robust year-round library programme and a well-supported after-school literacy initiative are helping struggling readers build their skills. High-interest books with strong visual elements, along with large-print materials for a student with a visual impairment, will make reading more accessible and engaging.
New Bethel SDA Primary School
Number of Students: 148
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
A dedicated volunteer librarian helps students select books and encourages comprehension by asking them to share a brief synopsis when each book is returned. Students visit throughout the school day, and an updated collection will give this thoughtful literacy programme fresh material to inspire them.
Newfields Primary School
Number of Students: 91
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Guided by a librarian committed to academic and literacy development, students use the library for projects, scheduled visits, and independent reading whenever they have time. New titles will build on their enthusiasm while strengthening vocabulary, comprehension, and classroom learning.
Old Road Primary School
Number of Students: 165
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
Regular library activities have created such enthusiastic readers that many books are now tattered from repeated use. Because removing them would leave students with too little to read, a refreshed collection is essential to sustain the school’s literacy programme.
Olivia David Primary School
Number of Students: 122
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
A full-time librarian welcomes every class on a regular schedule and keeps the library open for students during their free time. Many books are outdated, and popular series available elsewhere are missing. An updated collection will give students a richer and more relevant reading experience.
Sea View Farm
Number of Students: 140
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
The library supports every grade, from read-alouds for the youngest children to research for Grade 6 students. Children borrow books to enjoy at home, and many in Grades 3 through 5 regularly request an extra title. Replacing the heavily repaired collection will help meet this remarkable demand for reading.
St. John’s Catholic Primary School
Number of Students: 275
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
This library serves the entire school, but students have exhausted much of what is currently available. Fresh titles will renew their excitement and give them new stories, subjects, and ideas to discover.
St. John’s Lutheran Primary School
Number of Students: 334
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
More than a place to borrow books, this well-organized library provides students with a safe and welcoming space. Every class visits weekly, and years of enthusiastic use have taken a visible toll on the collection. Replacement books will help preserve this valued resource for the whole school.
T.N. Kirnon Primary School
Number of Students: 34 – Deaf
Library Need: Special Education and Remedial Reading Collections
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,600.00
The campus serves students who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as students with visual impairments. Sign-language resources, accessible literacy materials, large-print texts, and Braille books will help students communicate, participate, and experience reading in forms suited to their individual needs.
Victory Center (Special Needs School)
Number of Students: 29
Library Need: Primary Rejuventation and Special Education
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
Trained teachers support students with a wide range of special educational needs. Durable sensory and interactive books, strong visual supports, social stories, phonics-based early readers, and practical life-skills books will make literacy more accessible, meaningful, and engaging.
Ministry/Reference Collections
Number of Students: 0
Library Need: Early Pages Proramme and Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 6,100.00
A shared Ministry of Education collection will allow preschool and lower-primary resources to circulate among multiple schools. Each book can support many classrooms, giving more young children access to high-quality early literacy materials while maximizing the reach of every contribution.
Arthur Waldron SDA Academy
Number of Students: 259
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
Bense Preschool
Number of Students: 11
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Early access to joyful, age-appropriate books will help these preschoolers develop language, curiosity, and a strong foundation for learning.
Calibishie Primary School
Number of Students: 46
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
After construction forced students to relocate, many books and learning materials were damaged or lost in storage. As the school returns to its new building, a rebuilt collection will help restore the library and give students the fresh start they deserve.
Campbell Preschool
Number of Students: 5
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
A welcoming selection of picture books will give young children more opportunities to explore stories, build vocabulary, and discover the pleasure of reading together.
Castle Bruce Preschool
Number of Students: 9
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Engaging books created for young learners will enrich classroom read-alouds and help this preschool make literacy a meaningful part of each child’s day.
Castle Bruce Secondary School
Number of Students: 339
Library Need: Secondary Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,400.00
Fresh, popular titles will capture students’ attention and encourage more children to become regular readers and borrowers.
Concord Preschool
Number of Students: ?
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
New picture books will bring stories to life for these preschoolers while supporting early language development, imagination, and school readiness.
Convent High School
Number of Students: 480
Library Need: Secondary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
Students here are enthusiastic readers who have explored nearly every book currently available. New titles will reward their love of reading and give them fresh stories, characters, and ideas to discover.
Dublanc Primary School
Number of Students: 62
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Younger students need more books suited to their ages and developing abilities. Fresh, accessible titles will help them practice new skills, gain confidence, and build positive reading habits.
Ebenezer SDA Primary
Number of Students: 238
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
As the school prepares to move to a new campus, it will gain a dedicated library room of its own. Replacing books lost from the collection will help transform that new space into an inviting destination for reading and discovery.
Goodwill Primary School
Number of Students: 303
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
A carefully selected preschool collection will support shared reading, introduce children to new words and ideas, and help establish an early love of books.
Massacre/Canefield Primary School
Number of Students: 250
Library Need: Primary Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Reorganizing the library and retraining student librarians will make books easier to discover and help more students take an active role in the school’s reading culture.
Morne Jaune Preschool
Number of Students: 5
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Colorful stories and interactive read-alouds will help these young learners strengthen listening skills, expand their vocabulary, and associate books with joy.
Morne Prosper Preschool
Number of Students: 7
Library Need: Earl Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Quality early-learning books will give teachers more tools to engage preschoolers and create a print-rich classroom where emerging readers can thrive.
Paix Bouche Primary School
Number of Students: 63
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Fresh, high-interest titles will help the school engage more boys in reading and give every student something exciting to choose from the shelves.
Pierre Charles Secondary School
Number of Students: 304
Library Need: Secondary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
A strong reading programme is already helping students grow as readers. Additional books will provide the variety and depth needed to extend that success and reach even more children.
Pioneer Preparatory School
Number of Students: 125
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
With plans to reorganize books currently stored in the hallway and establish a student librarian programme, refreshed titles can help create a more accessible and engaging reading experience across the school.
Roosevelt Douglas Primary School
Number of Students: 285
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
Dedicated library leadership, thoughtful organization, and appealing new books can help create a more vibrant space and connect more students with the joy of reading.
St. Martin Primary School
Number of Students: 421
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Water and insect damage destroyed part of the collection while the library programme was inactive. Fresh books will support its promising restart and help restore students’ confidence in their library.
St. Martin Secondary School
Number of Students: 167
Library Need: Secondary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
A spacious library and students eager to serve as librarians provide an encouraging foundation. Updated titles and continued training will help turn that enthusiasm into a vibrant, student-supported reading culture.
Temple SDA Primary School
Number of Students: 86
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
The school is thoughtfully removing worn and unsuitable books while replacing shelving damaged by termites. New titles will help complete this renewal and welcome students back to a safer, more appealing library in the new school year.
Concord Pre
Number of Students: 7
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
A preschool student with a visual impairment needs tactile books and accessible literacy materials that she can explore both in the classroom and at home. These resources will help her participate more fully in learning and experience the joy of books alongside her classmates.
Holy Cross Pre
Number of Students: 26
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
This preschool is poised to join the Early Pages Programme, giving young learners access to engaging books and the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of reading.
Matrquis Pre
Number of Students: 23
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
This preschool is ready to join the Early Pages Programme, expanding access to joyful, age-appropriate books and helping its youngest learners build a strong foundation for reading.
New Hampshire
Number of Students: 23
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
By welcoming this preschool into the Early Pages Programme, children will gain access to engaging books that encourage curiosity, language development, and an early love of reading.
Non-Pariel Pre
Number of Students: 31
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
The addition of this preschool will bring high-quality books and meaningful early literacy experiences to more young children at a critical stage in their development.
Springs Pre
Number of Students: 34
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
This preschool is ready to join the Early Pages Programme, expanding access to joyful, age-appropriate books and helping its youngest learners build a strong foundation for reading.
St. Dominic’s RC Primary School
Number of Students: 188
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
With a trained librarian, a spacious library, and enthusiastic weekly visitors, this school has built a strong culture of reading. New and engaging titles will help sustain that momentum and give students more of the books they are eager to discover.
St. Joseph’s RC Primary School
Number of Students: 315
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
Students here are so enthusiastic about reading that many spend their lunch periods in the library. Years of heavy use have left many favorite books worn and torn, creating an opportunity to refresh the shelves with exciting new titles, especially books that will engage more boys.
St. Mary’s RC Primary School
Number of Students: 209
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
This spacious library is entering a promising new chapter under the leadership of a recently appointed librarian. With training and a carefully selected collection, the school can strengthen its library program and offer more books that capture the interests of its boys.
St. Michael’s RC Primary School
Number of Students: 106
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
This school is building a joyful reading culture through an active library, an enthusiastic librarian, and monthly awards for young readers. Now it hopes to carry that energy into the nearby children’s hospital by creating a library for young patients. Support will provide engaging books for the school’s students while helping reading reach children beyond its campus.
Cecele Brown Integrated School
Number of Students: 30
Library Need: Special Education Needs
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
This school serves 30 children with diverse disabilities and learning needs who are developing foundational literacy skills. Support will make reading more accessible, engaging, and rewarding for every student.
Joycelyn Liburd Primary School
Number of Students: 154
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
A dedicated teacher provides small-group reading support to students across several grades. Additional resources will strengthen this work, bring greater consistency to instruction, and help struggling readers make meaningful progress.
Gingerland Secondary School
Number of Students: 367
Library Need: Secondary Rejuvenation and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
St. Thomas’ Primary School
Number of Students: 145
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Children progressing from the Early Pages Programme need continued support as they move into Kindergarten and the early primary grades. Sustained investment will help them build on their early gains and grow into confident, independent readers.
Violet O. Jeffers-Nichols Primary School
Number of Students: 59
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
This school is prioritizing beginning reading in Kindergarten through Grade 2 and building on children’s Early Pages experience. Support will help young students strengthen foundational skills and continue progressing toward independent reading.
Basseterre High School
Number of Students: 760
Library Need: Secondary Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,400.00
Bronte Welsh Primary School
Number of Students: 110
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
The library programme continues to thrive, supported by strong leadership and an annual Reading and Literacy Week. Investment will help the school build on this enthusiasm and keep students engaged with reading throughout the year.
Cayon Primary School
Number of Students: 238
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
With a new library worker in place, the school has successfully restarted its library programme. This renewed leadership creates an opportunity to rebuild momentum and welcome students back to regular reading.
Charles E. Mills Secondary School
Number of Students: 440
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
Although structural problems have temporarily closed the library, teachers in the student support department continue providing remedial reading instruction. Support will ensure that students can keep developing critical literacy skills while the broader library programme is restored.
Cotton Thomas Comprehensive School (Special Needs)
Number of Students: 115
Library Need: Special Education Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
Dr. William Connor Primary School
Number of Students: 350
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
This large school has an active library programme led by a creative librarian who continually finds new ways to motivate students. Support will help sustain that energy and connect even more children with the joy of reading.
Saddlers Primary School
Number of Students: 102
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
The school has resumed its library programme after a long period without new resources. Renewed support will encourage the librarian, reengage students, and help restore excitement around reading.
Saddlers Primary School
Number of Students: 102
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
The school has resumed its library programme after a long period without new resources. Renewed support will encourage the librarian, reengage students, and help restore excitement around reading.
Sandy Point Primary School
Number of Students: 343
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
A vibrant library programme keeps students reading through an Easter break camp, a yearlong reading competition, prizes, and an annual Literacy Week. Continued investment will help this large school sustain these successful initiatives and reach more young readers.
Tucker Clarke Primary School
Number of Students: 450
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
At this large school, every class has scheduled reading time and students regularly choose to spend additional time in the library. Strong recordkeeping and librarian leadership also drive the annual Reading and Literacy Week, reflecting a schoolwide commitment to reading.
Banse La Grace Combined School
Number of Students: 113
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Bocage Secondary School
Number of Students: 132
Library Need: Secondary Rejuvenation
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 3,600.00
After severe weather destroyed two school structures, the school lost its dedicated library space. Many students enter requiring significant academic support, yet the school has gone more than eight years without books from Hands. Renewed investment will strengthen its literacy programmes and give students greater opportunities to grow as readers.
Canon Laurie Anglican Primary School
Number of Students: 261
Library Need: New Library, Remedial Reading Collection, and Special Education Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 6,500.00
Space constraints have led the school to rely on classroom libraries, but its principal remains a strong advocate for literacy. After seven years without books from Hands, fresh titles will strengthen classroom reading and help students complete book reports for the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment.
Desruisseaux Combined School
Number of Students: 267
Library Need: Primary Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
Students continue to read and borrow books through an active library programme. Continued support will help the school sustain this important part of student learning and keep reading at the heart of school life.
Forestiere Methodist Combined School
Number of Students: 81
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
An old computer room has been transformed into a new library, and students are being trained to help lead the programme. Fresh titles will strengthen the school’s robust reading initiatives and help bring this renewed space fully to life after seven years without books from Hands.
Monchy RC Primary School
Number of Students: 162
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
Although space constraints prevent the school from maintaining its own library, a creative partnership gives students regular access to the nearby community library. Fresh titles will strengthen this shared resource and renew reading opportunities for students after seven years without books from Hands.
Roseau RC Combined School
Number of Students: 93
Library Need: Primary Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Even while the library is being refurbished, students continue borrowing books and participating in a robust reading programme. Fresh titles will sustain that momentum and support students preparing book reports for the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment.
St. Aloysius RC Boys’ Primary School
Number of Students: 281
Library Need: Primary Rejuvenation and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
Students are excited to return to a library that has been reclaimed and reorganized after serving as a classroom. New titles will help make the renewed space complete while supporting reading and Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment book reports.
Vide Bouteille Primary School
Number of Students: 355
Library Need: Primary Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
For many students facing economic hardship, the school library is their primary source of books. Fresh, culturally relevant titles will strengthen the school’s literacy programme and help students prepare book reports for the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment.
Barrouallie Secondary School
Number of Students: 474
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
Each year, approximately 30 incoming secondary students arrive reading at the pre-primary or Grade 1 level, placing them at serious risk of repeating Form 1 and leaving school early. With a new principal committed to change and an enthusiastic literacy teacher leading the school’s first remedial reading programme, support can give these students a genuine opportunity to catch up and succeed.
Belair Government School
Number of Students: 136
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
A trained special education teacher provides targeted reading instruction to 20 students in Grades 2 through 5. Working in small groups three times each week, students receive support tailored to their abilities and advance as they make progress. Investment will strengthen this thoughtful, individualized approach and help more children experience success.
Chateaubelair Methodist Primary School
Number of Students: 206
Library Need: Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Strong school leadership has inspired reading clubs, after-school groups, targeted support for struggling readers, and a vibrant renovation of the library space. Heavy use and termite damage have depleted the books available, and renewed support will help sustain the enthusiasm these improvements have created.
Colonaire Primary School
Number of Students: 99
Library Need: Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Literacy is central to the school’s development plan, with daily remedial instruction for struggling readers and a Star Award programme that motivates stronger readers to excel. Books lost during the volcanic eruption and Hurricane Beryl have made it harder to sustain this progress. Support will help the school build on its gains and reach students across reading levels.
Fitz-Hughes Early Childhood Centre
Number of Students: 27
Library Need: Early Pages Programme
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
This newly opened preschool will complete the expansion of the Early Pages Programme to every government early childhood centre, ensuring that young children across the country can begin school with meaningful exposure to books and reading.
Fitz-Hughes Government School
Number of Students: 123
Library Need: Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
After a difficult relocation and renovation, the school has returned to a new library space, but many books were damaged and discarded during the transition. In this remote fishing and farming community, teachers are working with a trained literacy specialist to strengthen early reading and provide targeted support across the grades. Investment will help this renewed programme reach children who have few literacy resources at home.
Georgetown Secondary School
Number of Students: 466
Library Need: New Library and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 5,600.00
Many students come from communities deeply affected by the 2021 La Soufrière eruption and enter secondary school reading below grade level. A passionate, trained teacher now leads an intensive remedial programme, but resources remain scarce and the school has not received books from Hands in eight years. Support will help vulnerable students build the skills they need to remain engaged and succeed.
Fairhall Government School
Number of Students: 0
Library Need: Special Education and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,600.00
This inclusive school serves children from preschool through Grade 9, including 64 students with diagnosed disabilities. Its determined principal and trained teachers are working to provide both remedial and specialized support despite limited resources. Investment will help students with diverse learning needs participate more fully and achieve greater independence.
Marriaqua Government School
Number of Students: 213
Library Need: Top Up and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
Assessments showed that many students in Grades 1 through 3 were reading below grade level, prompting an intensive response from the principal and literacy team. Individual instruction, small-group support, Drop Everything and Read, and student reading exchanges produced encouraging results. Renewed support will help sustain those gains and keep children excited about reading.
National Public Library
Number of Students: 257
Library Need: Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 2,500.00
New Grounds Primary School
Number of Students: 163
Library Need: Rejuvenation and Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
Creative promotions and reading rewards keep students engaged, while targeted small-group instruction supports 21 children in Grades 2 and 3 who need additional help. The school’s commitment is strong, but many heavily used books must now be retired. Investment will strengthen both its wider reading culture and its focused support for emerging readers.
Pamelus Burke Government School
Number of Students: 125
Library Need: Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
School leaders have made literacy a shared priority through competitions, reading activities, and a twice-weekly remedial programme serving 20 students, most of them boys. Students are already making measurable progress. Additional support will help educators keep these young readers engaged and extend successful literacy opportunities across the school.
Petit Bordel Secondary School
Number of Students: 346
Library Need: Rejuvenation and Special Education Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
In this rural community near La Soufrière, many families depend on farming and fishing and have limited access to additional educational support. About 30 percent of students, predominantly boys, are reading at Grade 3 level or below, and some have disabilities that create further classroom challenges. Investment will help teachers provide engaging, accessible instruction and improve outcomes for these vulnerable learners.
Sandy Bay Government School
Number of Students: 233
Library Need: Remedial Reading Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 800.00
A schoolwide commitment to literacy provides one hour of reading instruction every day, complemented by twice-weekly small-group and individual support for students in Grades 2 through 5. The results are clear: every Grade 6 student is now reading at grade level. Continued investment will help the school sustain and expand this successful approach.
Stubbs Goverment School
Number of Students: 148
Library Need: Rejuvenation and Special Education Collection
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 4,400.00
A dedicated new literacy teacher is leading staff development, a book club, plans for an improved library, and a remedial programme serving 40 students across four reading levels. With no previous book support from Hands, the school is building this work from the ground up. Investment will help turn strong leadership and ambitious plans into lasting literacy gains.
Tourama Government School
Number of Students: 65
Library Need: Top Up
Cost to fund for the 2026-27 School Year: $ 1,700.00
In this remote northern community near La Soufrière, students eagerly borrow books, complete reading logs, and participate in creative activities such as Read-a-T-Shirt Day, Word of the Week, and whole-school reading groups. After five years without books from Hands, renewed support will sustain their enthusiasm and strengthen a deeply rooted culture of reading.
