Farming for a Better Future at the Tobago School for the Deaf, Speech and Language Impaired

Inclusion

Digicel Foundation director presenting flowers to Mrs Pantin

PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – 04 FEB 2026 – Backed by grant funding from the Digicel Foundation and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Tobago School for the Deaf, Speech and Language Impaired has expanded its successful agri-science initiative with an agro-processing and packaging facility on its premises. The school-based agriculture project is a powerful engine for independence and opportunity, generating income, equipping students with real-world vocational skills, and opening entrepreneurial pathways for school-leavers, reshaping the future for the Deaf community in Tobago.

Farming operations began at the school back in 2023, with an initial investment of TT$100,000 through the Digicel Foundation’s EPIC grant programme, and the venture has grown significantly since then. The school currently breeds broiler chickens for meat and rears layers for egg production. Its aquaponics programme is also being expanded to include a small fish pond to improve both yield and produce quality.

Last year, a TT$255,000 grant from the Digicel Foundation and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supported the expansion and the purchase of essential equipment, including a plucker, debeaker, commercial freezer, ice boxes, stove, and kitchen-grade counters and sinks, along with other supplies. A purpose-built processing and packaging facility was constructed, allowing the school to store equipment and conduct operations in a safe, sanitary manner.

Speaking at the project’s handover on January 29th, Elder Weekes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared, “This collaboration helps others to see the ability of persons with disabilities and creates pathways for individuals to become all that God intended.”

Head of Operations at the Digicel Foundation, Cindyann Currency, reinforced the Foundation’s commitment to inclusion, noting that “disability should never limit possibility. When we invest in access, dignity and opportunity, we are not offering charity; we are unlocking potential.”

“We are so fortunate to have partners like the Digicel Foundation and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” shared Former Principal Cordella Pantin, who described the initiative as a legacy project for the school. “Projects that invest in communities transcend geography and religion, and we are proud to be on a journey that will help sustain our school and empower our children.” The farming venture encountered many challenges in the beginning, but the former Principal pushed through and applied the lessons learnt to future-proof the project, ensuring its ongoing success.

The initiative forms part of a wider TT$452,000 investment under the Empowerment Initiative for Persons with Disabilities, led by the Digicel Foundation in collaboration with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The programme supports three projects aimed at improving opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Trinidad and Tobago. Alongside the Tobago School for the Deaf, Speech and Language Impaired, two other beneficiaries—the Care Helpers Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidad and Tobago Occupational Therapist Association—are also implementing projects to strengthen support and services for the disability community across the country.