Corporate Hands | Digicel Foundation donates school supplies to special-needs students
Category: Special Needs
A call for Private Sector Support for Persons with Disabilities in Sports and Culture
Jennifer McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, PSOJ; presenting at The UWI Mona Regional Disabilities Studies Conference on March 12, 2018.
The UWI Centre for Disability Studies (UWICDS) held its Regional Disability Studies Conference on Wednesday March
7, 2018. The theme for this conference is “Enhancing the Disability Agenda through
Sports and Culture in the Caribbean.” The CEO of the PSOJ, Ms. Jennifer
McDonald, made a presentation at the Centre for Disability Studies regional
conference: “The importance of public-private partnership in the advocacy,
implementation and advancement of the lives of persons with disabilities in sports
and culture.”
McDonald informed the audience that addressing matters related to Disabilities is
one of PSOJ’s 4 core focus for 2018, which falls under Vulnerable Groups and
Gender Affairs. Other areas for advocacy includes: Innovation and Technology;
Climate Change; Crime and Public Safety.
“Jamaica possesses a strong platform with demonstrated excellence in Sports and
Culture locally, regionally and internationally” said Ms. McDonald. She reiterated
that “Our annual Boys and Girls Championships and the Jamaican festival
movement which have honed the skills of our athletes and artiste over the years.”
The actualisation of programmes and initiatives built through partnerships are
precedence of how public-private partnerships can work to improve these areas for
the advancement of Persons with Disabilities.
During her presentation McDonald quoted Sydney Thorpe, keyboard player of the
renowned Fab 5 – “People were fascinated because they had never seen a visually
challenged person playing three keyboards at a time, much less sitting on a revolving
stool, spinning and playing the keyboards … I didn’t have anything to prove to
anybody because I was in a band that was a top band,” he said.
Ms. McDonald, stated that, “the advancement of PWDs in sports and culture can
facilitate professional integration through the development of income generating
activities. These activities will also: promote increased participation of PWDs in
community life; increase the level of education of PWD through training; Educateand inform the wider public about PWDs and increase their chances of access to
basic social services.”She further stated that, “members of the private sector can assist with the
advancement of PWDs in the areas of Sports and Culture by: having members of
their staff volunteer to work with institutions or organisations that provide services
to PWDs; making strategic decisions to support a particular sport, art form or
individual already engaging in either areas of discipline; making donations to
existing programmes or projects that will advance the exposure and improve on the
skills of PWDs in these areas.”
The UWI Centre for Disabilities Studies biennial conference is geared at bringing
together, the academic community, the public and private sector, civil society and
members from the community of persons with disabilities; in an academic
environment to articulate topics of critical importance to one of our most vulnerable
groups.
St Mary Tech excited after computer donation
St Mary Technical High School suffered a devastating blow in June 2016, when its library was razed by a fire.
The school’s need was realised when staff members of Digicel nominated the school to be the beneficiary of a set of computers under the Digicel Foundation’s Get Gifted Campaign.
“You came to our rescue. We suffered a major fire which destroyed everything in our library last year; our books, computers, chairs and desks. This gift from Digicel Foundation is a dream come true because we have written so many letters to a number of corporate companies with no response,” said Glascine McCormack-Lazarus, principal of the school.
Sannejah Henderson, head boy, said, “I know these computers will be very useful as students have to be typing their school-based assessments and trying to carry out research with limited access to a computer or Internet. This is will have such a positive impact for all of us. We are really excited.”
SHARING A COMPUTER
Since the fire, students preparing to sit CSEC examinations in information technology and electronic document preparation and Management have had to share the use of one computer in the library if they did not have a personal computer at home.
Heather Moyston, board director of the foundation, last week led a team to St Mary Technical and surprised the school with the donation of four brand new desktop computers.
“This school has been serving the parish with distinction for over half a century. It is an honour for our team to partner with the staff and students of St Mary Technical High to build on their foundation of excellence,” she said.
Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20170121/st-mary-tech-excited-after-computer-donation
Twins Excelling Despite Difficulties
Despite being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Cognitive Impairment, exceptional twin sisters Shantoi and Samoi Miller, all of seven years old, are outstanding and inspiring students and the celebrated shining stars at the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) Centre of Excellence.
At this young age, the two girls have faced severe odds, overcome several major health and development obstacles, and are now beacons of hope, showing the value of the early stimulation in the lives of children with special needs.
Enrolled at the stimulation centre over the last three years, their teachers Aunties Melissa Robinson and Norma-Jean Powell quickly realised that the girls needed extra attention to develop their skills and talents.
Issues such as forgetting letters and numerals, not being able to keep up in class, and refusing to eat plagued the girls’ development.
But help was on the way, as Digicel Foundation stepped in and provided critical funding under a programme designed to assist children like Shantoi and Samoi.
The poundation, having assisted some 34,000 persons with special needs since its inception, saw the Early Stimulation Programme as a right fit for the organisation’s input.
The school was able to move into a newly renovated environment with additional tools for intervention. The teachers were more motivated to deliver better results for each child, and the twin girls went from being shy and reserved to outspoken and ready to face new adventures.
Their excitement about going to school could not be contained and they developed a level of confidence that made them no longer worried about what people had to say about their special needs.
At the end of their programme, they were both chosen as valedictorians for their graduating class.
Digicel Foundation chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin, in celebrating the achievement of the twin girls, believes that there are many other children like Shantoi and Samoi who can benefit from the efforts of the organisation.
“It really warms my heart when we are able to help, and to see how lives can be changed because of our partnerships.” Lowrie-Chin said.
Shantoi and Samoi are inspiring classmates, parents, teachers and partners with their contagious warmth and can-do attitude towards life.
The ESP Centre of Excellence is among 45 special-needs projects benefitting from some US$11 million in funding from the Digicel Foundation.
http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20170109/twins-excelling-despite-difficulties
Jamaica Highlights 