Special Needs
Providing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
Within this portfolio we focus funding efforts on initiatives that promote awareness and inclusion. Our programmes focus on therapy, education, sport for development, and disaster preparedness
As a leading corporate Foundation in Jamaica focusing on Special Needs, we are dedicated to addressing the challenges stemming from insufficient funding and awareness. Our goal is to create a world where no one gets left behind.
Since 2005, we've been proud partners with the Special Education Unit of the Ministry of Education and Youth, working together to establish 11 government-run institutions tailored to serve children with Special Needs. These institutions offer a comprehensive range of services, spanning from assessments to specialized skill training.
In 2013, our founder, Denis O'Brien, made a commitment to either build or significantly expand 10 centers for Special Needs. With the completion of the final center in 2018, we've significantly enhanced our capacity to support individuals with Special Needs.
A cornerstone of our approach is investing in training and skills development. Over the years, we've provided essential training to 394 special needs teachers, caregivers, and parents, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to effectively support their students and loved ones.
Recognizing the importance of accessibility, we've constructed a total of 48 ramps in traditional schools. These ramps play a vital role in creating a more inclusive environment, fostering a sense of belonging and equal access for all.
Our 5K night run and walk, launched in 2012, serves as a beacon of hope for Special Needs projects. With the aim of raising funds for initiatives such as school renovations, scholarship programmes, and therapy services, this event has been instrumental in generating USD$457K to date. Beyond fundraising, the 5K also serves as a powerful awareness-building campaign, educating Jamaicans and advocating for the rights and inclusion of individuals with Special Needs.
In collaboration with UNICEF in 2018, we assisted in registering 3,633 individuals, including 847 students, with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, enabling them to access government benefits and services.
We've expanded our impact by partnering with the Early Childhood Commission to establish inclusive classrooms in Jamaica. So far, three inclusive classrooms have been established in early childhood schools, furthering our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity at the earliest stages of education.
21
Special Needs Schools Built/ Renovated
394
Special Needs Teachers, Caregivers and Parents Trained
US$457K
5K Funds Raised for Special Needs Projects
3,633
Persons With Disabilities Registered to Access Government Benefits and Services
Follow the Trail, Invest In Braille
In honour of Blind Awareness Month last October, Dr Terri-Karelle Reid, a media and communications practioner, partnered with the Digicel Foundation to launch a campaign aimed at enhancing the educational opportunities for blind and visually impaired students in Jamaica.
The campaign focuses on addressing the critical shortage of Braille machines at the Salvation Army School for the Blind – Jamaica's sole school for blind and visually impaired students.
Investment Highlights
Project
Follow the Trail Invest in Braille Campaign
Partner
42 Corporate Sponsors
Beneficiaries
Salvation Army School for the Blind
Investments USD
$100,000
Project
Hope Valley Experimental Special Education Unit
Partner
Ministry of Education and Youth
Beneficiaries
55
Investments USD
$117,000
Project
Salvation Army Arthor Wint Basic School
Partner
Early Childhood Commission
Beneficiaries
96
Investments USD
$57,469
Project
Abilities Foundation Smart Room
Partner
Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Beneficiaries
105
Investments USD
$30,000
Project Media
Sweets and Treats for Special Needs
We partnered with the Jamaica Biscuit Company to bring joy to over 650 children with special needs across Jamaica last Christmas
Two decades of partnership with Special Olympics Jamaica
Just before the athletes departed Jamaica for the 2023 Special Olympics Games in Berlin, we handed over US$40,000 to the team. Digicel’s ongoing support of Special Olympics has seen the company providing donations in cash and kind, infrastructural support, help with fundraising activities and more in all of its markets.
Inclusion For All
In 2023, we welcomed the retrofitted inclusive classroom at Bethabara Infant School in Manchester. We renovated the entire classroom space and created a specialised stimulation sensory space for children who have mild to moderate intellectual and physical disabilities
Sweets and Treats for Special Needs
We partnered with the Jamaica Biscuit Company to bring joy to over 650 children with special needs across Jamaica last Christmas
Two decades of partnership with Special Olympics Jamaica
Just before the athletes departed Jamaica for the 2023 Special Olympics Games in Berlin, we handed over US$40,000 to the team. Digicel’s ongoing support of Special Olympics has seen the company providing donations in cash and kind, infrastructural support, help with fundraising activities and more in all of its markets.
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