Dancehall icon Adidja “Vybz Kartel” Palmer has donated $1 million to Waterford Primary School to support critical educational programs and initiatives.
The entertainer grew up in the Waterford community and attended the institution before matriculating to Calabar High School.
Administrators at the institution welcomed the donation, which they said would significantly benefit students.
Although Palmer did not attend the school personally, a representative delivered the funds on his behalf. According to school officials, the donation will be allocated to bolstering the performing arts program, purchasing computers, and organizing a treat for the children in the coming week.
“This donation will make a real difference,” a source told Observer Online. “We’re excited to enhance our programs and provide better resources for the students.”
Vybz Kartel later posted a video on Instagram of himself holding the check that he sent to the school. One of the school teachers said that the entertainer excelled in the arts program while he was a student there.
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This recent donation is part of a broader effort by the Palmer family to support education and uplift communities in Portmore. In September 2024, when the school term began, the family, through Vybz Kartel’s sons, donated hundreds of notebooks, pens, pencils, and other stationery items to Waterford Primary. The supplies were part of a larger drive organized by the UTG Initiative Foundation, co-founded by Kartel’s sons Adidja Jahiem “Likkle Vybz” Palmer, Akheel “Likkle Addi” Palmer, and Aiko-Don Palmer.
The foundation’s initial donation drive, held on August 30, 2024, provided essential resources to six schools in Portmore, including Waterford Primary and Infant School, Portsmouth Basic and Primary, Waterford High School, and Cumberland High School. The supplies ranged from stationery like pens and books for students and teachers to construction materials such as cement, paint, and new bathroom fixtures.
In a statement at the time, Likkle Vybz explained the motivation behind the initiative: “We decided to give back to the schools because we know that most parents are struggling to cover school fees and buy supplies for the new term. We thought, what better way to help than to support the kids directly?”
