CONDOLENCE: Sarah Newland Martin

The Chair, Board and staff of the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO regret the passing of Sarah Newland Martin, champion of the disabled, and a paralympian. She passed away in hospital Wednesday morning, 8 June 2022.

She was a member of the National Bioethics Committee of Jamaica (NBCJ) and spent most of her life to raising awareness and providing education about disabilities and was a determined advocate for their causes.

For decades she was perhaps most widely known for her role as General Secretary of the YMCA, through which she reached out vulnerable groups, including street boys who engaged in the washing of car windows at busy street intersections. By providing them with educational opportunities and life skills, the YMCA, under her leadership, made a significant difference in their lives.