The Alpha Boys’ School Puts Its Gift Shop Online In An Effort to Raise Funds

The historical Alpha Boys’ School opens up its business to the global community, to sustain and grow its five vocational training programmes.

Running a vocational training establishment on a tight budget, the historical Alpha Institute of Kingston, Jamaica heavily relies on the sales of its screen printed and handmade wood products (alongside the profits of a fully fitted printery) to keep its programmes alive and up-to-date.

An establishment globally acknolwledged as “the cradle of reggae music” (The Telegraph, 2009), the former Alpha Boys’ School has remained, well into the 21^st century, a place of interest for the broad community of ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music lovers, who come from all corners of the world to see the place where legends such as King Yellowman, Letoy Smart, or Don Drummond and The Skatalites grew up, and hear its – still very active- band.

In an effort to reach out to the large circle of “Friends of The Alpha Boys’ School” (past students, Jamaican disapora, reggae fans and philanthropists among the numbers) who might wish to support the school’s current activities despite not foreseeing a trip to the Caribbean, Alpha is making the full range of its signature gift items available online to ship worldwide, via the famous handmade-items P2P platform Etsy.

Visitors will find on the school’s Etsy page ( www.etsy.com/shop/alphaboysschool ) signature hardwood items such as pens, clocks, desk sets, tableware and more, as well as the latest screen-printed t-shirts by AlphaWearJA, Virgin-endorsed apparel brand celebrating the musical legacy of the historical Jamaican boys’ home. All these items are producd with the assistance of the students enroled in Alpha’s screen printing and woodwork training programmes, two amongst the five trades offered by the school, along with Barbering, Landscaping, and of course, Music Technology and Performance. 

The Alpha Institute looks forwward to developing the avenues for employment created for its students, as well as opening new ones, with the help of its supporters around the world. 

Download The Jamaican Blogs™ App for your Android device: HERE

---

Remember to share this article on Facebook and other Social Media Platforms. To submit your own articles or to advertise with us please send us an EMAIL at: [email protected]