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In approximately five months the 90 students presently attending the Tiny Tots Basic School in Lacovia, St. Elizabeth will be housed in new, spacious and comfortable surrounding all courtesy of the Digicel Foundation and CHASE Fund. Both institutions have joined forces and will underwrite the cost of erecting two new class rooms; bathroom facilities for boy and girls; a resource centre; kitchen as well as play ground facilities thereby replacing the single classroom presently in use.
Speaking at a community meeting and ground breaking ceremony at the school last Wednesday (February 11), W. Billy Heaven had high praise and commendation for Digicel Foundation for its commitment and drive to ‘help in effecting positive changes to Jamaica’s education infrastructure and inn particular early childhood’.
“The company I represent (CHASE) is proud to be an integral part of this project in collaboration with the Digicel Foundation”. Mr. Heaven stated. “We (CHASE and Digicel Foundation) have shared vision and are committed to ensuring the children of this school will be properly housed”. Continuing he said; “today I challenge the community and all stakeholders to take care of this investment, do not destroy it because in so doing you may just be destroying the future of the children of this community”.
Major General Robert Neish, Executive Director, Digicel Foundation expressed his pleasure of working with CHASE Fund for in benefit of the children of the community.
“The structure that is to be erected shortly will take five months this has been confirmed by the contractors and we will be holding him to that deadline”; confirms Major Neish. Digicel Foundation is committed to Jamaica and like our parent company we want to ensure that Jamaicans children are properly equipped to take on future roles and building this wonderful country of ours”. Like my counterpart at CHASE we are urging you the community to take care of the facilities ensure that generations to will be able to share and benefit from the facilities” he continues.
The Digicel Foundation was established in 2004 with a primary objective to support and develop the communities in which our employees live and work and where Digicel conduct business. The Foundation has taken steps towards building a legacy of commitment to improving the quality of life throughout Jamaica. Since its inception the Foundation has successfully undertaken over 70 projects island wide amount to in excess of J$500M
Since its inception in 2003 and up to December 2008, CHASE has approved J$1.1 billion across the island in the area of early childhood education to assist basic schools in modernizing their facilities, so that they will be on par with the requirements of the stringent regulations of the Early Childhood Commission. The strategies under the Commission are geared towards setting the stage for the effective development of young children from birth to eight years old, the most formative period of their lives. This includes the requirement of schools to upgrade their educational facilities to create appropriate learning environments, and to upgrade the qualification of teachers in this area.
