Schools and Groups Get Grants from Digicel Foundation

Scores of educational institutions and community groups are lauding the Digicel Foundation for providing grants of $28 million to do upgrading work and to establish income-generating projects.

The Foundation recently provided the funds under its Community Development Programme as part of its celebration for 18 years of giving back to communities in all 14 parishes and to give recognition to dedicated persons who are engaged in community-building.

Principal of the Lewisburgh Primary and Infant School in St. Mary, Paul Gobourne, told JIS News that the funds received will be used to upgrade the bathroom facilities at the institution and that a resource centre will be set up at the school for the students and other young people in the area.

“The resource centre is going to be very vital to improving the learning capacity of the students and important to the community, because there are a lot of students who will be welcomed to use the centre as best as possible,” the Principal said, at the handover of the grants at Digicel’s corporate headquarters in downtown Kingston.

The Digicel Community Development Programme seeks to work with grassroots organisations to “build Jamaica together”, making real investments in communities through grants of up to $2 million for development projects, with a focus on educational institutions, upgrade of community centres, development of agriculture, and other areas.

For the Old Folly Youth and Community Club, based in the parish of St. Ann, they will be using their $1-million grant to expand their poultry enterprise with the acquisition of pluckers and freezers. The Club also plans to renovate its fowl coop facility.

President of the group, George Brown, told JIS News that poultry and egg production will be their major activity, and “it will enhance the community by generating employment for the area”.

Student at the Lewisburgh Primary and Infant School, Kaylee Atkinson, welcomed the grant, noting that it will “help our school to expand”.

Another student at the school, Kevon Parkes, said he was proud of the effort made to get the grant, and “I want them to keep giving us the education that they are giving us”.

Project Manager at the school and Founder of the Brighter Than Gold Foundation, who is also a past student at the school, Marie Hall, said the grant will go towards lifting the institution and the community.

“The children and the community at large will benefit,” the former Civil Servant of the Year added.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, Charmaine Daniels, said the organisation has been “doing community work” since its inception in 2004, and “we continue to build Jamaica one community at a time in all parishes”.

“They are on the ground doing the work at the community level that is so needed for the nation that we are building. It is a mix of projects that are awarded grants, and we are looking forward to see what the funds did and how it benefited the particular communities,” Miss Daniels told JIS News.

In Kingston, the Denham Town High School will use its $2-million grant to aid its Literacy Remedial programme for students. The grant will assist with the renovation of reading rooms and to get digital equipment to aid the teaching and learning experience.

The project is expected to impact 1,200 students at the inner-city school.

The St. Catherine Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Spanish Town will utilise its grant to upgrade its computer lab, which will benefit students, especially boys who come from violent and socially disenfranchised homes, while the St. Thomas-based Amity Hall Primary School will be using their grant to construct a perimeter fence.

Grants will also enable the establishment of a Technology Park by the Pitfour Community Development Committee (CDC) in St. James; the installation of a perimeter fence at the Porters Mountain Primary School in Westmoreland; and the creation of a Community Wellness, Health and Training Centre by the Joy Town Foundation, in St. Andrew.

Social Development Consultant with the Foundation, Miguel “Steppa” Williams, said groups applying for the grants should register with the Social Development Commission (SDC), the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and seek to partner with the Community Development Committees in their areas.

“When you get an endorsement from the SDC, a CDC, police youth clubs, you are able to show that you can manage the investments,” he said.

Chairperson of the Foundation, Jean Lowrie-Chin, said 245 bids were received from around the island.

She noted that over the past 18 years, the Foundation has touched the lives of 748,000 Jamaicans.

“We will continue to forge ahead for Jamaica’s development as we work with these fine awardees to ensure that no one is left behind,” she said.