Support McKenzie Brown's Mission for Belle Castle Kids

Wa guann...

As mentioned in my first fundraiser last year, this phrase "wa guann" means “hello” or “what’s up?” in the Jamaican dialect of Patois. And I am back to share it again for 2025. I am back with a 2nd fundraiser campaign to support grade school kids of Belle Castle Primary and Infant School in Jamaica.

Last summer's experience was very successful despite the extreme challenges of just getting to Jamaica. Remember Hurricane Beryl had hit Jamaica just 2 days before we were scheduled to arrive. It certainly set us back, but did not keep us away. And the experience was so rewarding to me personally and for the school kids that I am going back this summer again. One of my brothers (Dustin) will be going us this summer as well. I know he will connect with the kids.

You can visit my first fundraising campaign with this link.

Belle Castle Collective Fundraiser Summer 2023

Let me reintroduce who I am and what I aim to do.

My name is McKenzie Brown. I am a 16-year-old junior in San Diego. This fundraiser will support grade school kids in rural Jamaica. The school, Belle Castle Primary and Infant School, is located in the parish of Portland, Jamaica, with about 65 kids attending from infant age through the 8th grade. I will be visiting this school this summer to work with the kids both in the classroom and to help teach soccer skills. But more importantly, just to spend a week with the kids and hopefully be a positive influence in my own way.

Being Jamaican-American, I feel real pride in my growing connection to Jamaican culture. Last summer, I did not fully know what to expect of my week, but upon leaving the island, I felt a need to return. I feel I did make a difference for others, and I want to do that again.

In addition to just asking for donations, and similar to last year, this fundraiser will be connected to volunteerism events I will organize here in my community and Jamaican dinners that will introduce the foods of Jamaica to my friends. I want to build interest in Jamaica to those close to me and to anyone that donates to this campaign by posting updates on this GoFundMe page.

We will be traveling to Jamaica with the Nissi Care Group outreach missions program that has visited this community many times over the past decade. Amazingly, Belle Castle Primary School is where my grandmother and great aunts attended before moving to New York City. It is so unique that I get to go back to that same community to help others and explore my own Jamaican connection personally.

We had a very successful fundraiser last year and provided the kids with soccer balls, soccer uniforms, and the money went to very needed repairs for the school (especially following category 4 Hurricane Beryl that directly preceded our visit), leaking ceilings, walls to divide classrooms, and school supplies. But as you can probably imagine, Belle Castle and schools like it in Jamaica are always in need. The school is far from our experiences here in the US.

There are more repairs needed, more school supplies needed, and I will bring back more soccer-related items (uniforms, balls, cones). We will continue our effort to educate the kids in dental and physical health. We teach math, English, and art lessons. Each day at the school is directed entirely by us volunteers from start to finish. It is hard to describe the genuine happiness of the kids when we bring these gifts, education, and lessons.

I hope that you will be a part of this fundraiser. I am grateful to all past donors and future donors, and especially repeat donors.

Stay tuned for information on future events.

Likkle more… or in other words “see you later” ;)