The Missionaries of the Poor (MoP), operators of Bethlehem Home for persons with Special Needs in downtown Kingston, can breathe a sigh of relief as the Digicel Foundation makes plans to renovate the facility. During a site visit on Monday, June 6, Digicel Foundation CEO Charmaine Daniels toured the facility, which is currently at risk of losing its certification from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) due to health and safety concerns flagged during its last inspection by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW). The Digicel Foundation has confirmed that it will complete the necessary upgrades to keep all 60 residents – most of whom have multiple disabilities – housed at the facility.
Bethlehem Home provided lifelong care to persons with moderate to severe disabilities, offering therapy, access to education and enabling them to have a better overall quality of life. The home is operated and maintained through donations made to MoP, however, financial support dwindled during the pandemic.
“It has been especially challenging recently to maintain the home, but we are grateful for donations from overseas and locally, which will help us to keep the infrastructure in good shape,” explained Rev. Brother Premsagar, Director of the home which is located on High Holborn Street in downtown Kingston.
The Foundation will commence work this June, renovating the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room to meet health and safety standards. Additional renovations will also be done to windows, doors and partitions in the dormitories.
“This home really caught our attention because of its amazing work and the care that it offers to the wards,” explained Daniels. “Finding this haven for persons with Special Needs, and then discovering that it could potentially lose its registration and funding was devastating for us, because Special Needs support is such a critical part of the work we do to help create a world where no one gets left behind.”
CPFSA is the governing body for the licensing and regulation of over 40 private residential child care facilities island-wide. “Children’s homes have to comply with 29 standards before being certified. They must obtain approvals from Jamaica Fire Brigade, Municipal Corporations, and other entities. Final approval is given by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information,” noted Chief Executive Officer Rosalee Gage-Gray. “The Bethlehem Home plays a critical role in caring for our most vulnerable children. This support from Digicel Foundation will go a far way in ensuring that the Home’s license is renewed.”
Renovations to the facility are projected to be completed in September, with residents and caregivers equally excited for the end result. “We are really blessed at this time to have assistance from Digicel Foundation,” said Premsagar.
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