Our developmental years often shape us into who we will be and the choices we’ll make in our later years. When Orlean Lunan-Dowe stepped through the gates of Westwood High School in 1982, she never imagined that she would make decisions for an international company alongside other Jamaicans, nor did she imagine that she would return to the school to provide aid following a devastating hurricane.

Her return to the Trelawny-based school carried the weight of memory, gratitude, and purpose. Long before she became executive director of restaurant operations at Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant, she was a Westwoodite navigating boarding school life, learning independence, discipline, and solidifying the foundation of who she would become.

Reminiscing on years that moulded her into the woman and leader she is now, she shared with GoodHeart, “I wouldn’t change attending Westwood for anything.” That reflection came as she joined executive members of her team during the execution of their ‘Feeding Futures’ initiative, a programme delivered in partnership with the National Education Trust to strengthen school feeding systems and improve student wellbeing across Jamaica. The initiative is supporting the restoration and refurbishment of canteens and food preparation areas at seven schools impacted by Hurricane Melissa, with an investment valued at approximately US$50,000.