ASJA GIRLS GET SOLAR-POWERED GREENHOUSE
Digicel Foundation CEO Penny Gomez (right) with Gemma Casimir Redman, President of Soroptimist International Esperance, and ASJA student Anisha Casimir Redman at the launch of the hydroponic greenhouse at ASJA Girls College Barrackpore on 17 April 2024.
SATURDAY 20 APRIL 2024, PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – On Wednesday 17 April 2024, The Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers (TTAEE) in collaboration with Soroptimist International Esperance, unveiled a solar-powered, drip-to-waste hydroponics system at ASJA Girls College in Barrackpore. The school’s agri-science students will grow kale, patchoi, cabbage and lettuce and other green leafy vegetables in this innovative greenhouse. The project was funded through the Digicel Foundation’s ‘Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities’ (EPIC) programme, in partnership with Shell Trinidad and Tobago.
At the launch event, student Anisha Jailal delivered an enthusiastic testimonial acknowledging that the project was an exciting venture for her and her colleagues. She shared that the project has had a great personal impact on her since her father started a similar unit at their home and her mother is teaching the technology to her Standard 3 students.
Richard Ramrattan, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, shares information on the ASJA Girls College Barrackpore drip to waste hydroponics system at the stakeholder launch on 17 April 2024.
Ms Ramsaran, the school’s Agriculture teacher, shared that the new system played an integral role in the students’ learning and school-based assessments. Through the sustainable harvest programme, the students were exposed to critical thinking skills, problem-solving and using real science to manage the system to get the desired outputs. Richard Ramrattan, Project Manager at TTAEE, explained that the original project design did not include a shade house, but when the cabbage began to show signs of overexposure to sunlight, the team included a 30% UV-treated shade cloth.
Cindyann Currency, Head of Operations at the Digicel Foundation, harvests lush patchoi at the ASJA Girls College Barrackpore hydroponic greenhouse with the school’s Agriculture teacher, Ms. Ramsaran, on 17 April 2024.
The President of Soroptimist International Esperance, Gemma Casimir-Redman, also expressed her joy at the success of the project and the impact it will have on the school, its students and the wider community. She expressed gratitude to Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad and Tobago for partnering with NGOs to invest in the development of rural communities. In her words: “To do good work we need funding, to do extraordinary work we need plenty funding!” The Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad and Tobago provided TT$100,000 towards the project.
The ladies of Soroptimist International Esperance (in green scarves) celebrate the ‘sustainable harvest’ project launch with the school community at ASJA Girls College Barrackpore on 17 April 2024.
Digicel Foundation CEO Penny Gomez emphasised that their organisation is committed to supporting and investing in projects that address pressing issues such as sustainability and food security, and this year’s EPIC Grant programme focused on community projects in the areas of agriculture, renewable energy and the environment.
She thanked co-sponsor Shell Trinidad and Tobago for coming on board to support EPIC partners. “This is a partnership built on shared values, and we hope it sets a precedent for what is possible when like-minded entities come together with a common purpose. We are not only working together to support community development, but we’re also setting a standard for corporate collaboration rooted in integrity and shared vision,” said Gomez.
ASJA Girls College Barrackpore Agriculture students celebrate a successful harvest at the school’s hydroponic greenhouse on 17 April 2024.
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About Digicel
As a Digital Operator, Digicel is in the business of delivering powerful digital experiences 1440 minutes of each day to customers – that’s every minute, all day, every day.
Through its world-class LTE and fibre networks, together with its suite of eight apps spanning sports (SportsMax), music (D’Music), news (Loop), local radio and podcasts (GoLoud), TV streaming, (PlayGo) enhanced messaging and marketplaces (BiP), cloud storage (Billo) and self-care (MyDigicel app), Digicel is the only operator in its markets that can deliver the complete digital experience.
Serving consumer and business customers in 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America, and Pacific with investments of over US$7 billion and a commitment to communities in Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, and Trinidad & Tobago, the Digicel Foundation has contributed to positive outcomes for over three million people to date.
With its Better Together brand, Digicel is promising “simply more” to its customers and communities as the company’s 7,000 employees worldwide work together to make this pledge a powerful reality day in, day out.
For more, visit www.digicelgroup.com
About Shell Trinidad and Tobago
Shell has been in Trinidad and Tobago for over 100 years and has played a major role in the development of its oil and gas industry. With operations in offshore and onshore blocks (both operated and non-operated) as well as a majority shareholding in Atlantic LNG, the sixth largest liquefaction facility in the world, Shell Trinidad and Tobago delivers an integrated gas operation to supply the petrochemical market and Atlantic LNG.
Shell Trinidad and Tobago aims to create measurable, positive social impact at the community and national level, and contribute to the achievement of national priorities, through increasing access to education, skills and economic opportunities and improving access to energy.
Our social investment strategy seeks to contribute to economic diversification and livelihood development through Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STREAM) education, community skills and enterprise development, and community development.