DIGICEL FOUNDATION AND SHELL T&T AWARD TT$1.3MILLION TO NGOS
Digicel Foundation Directors with representatives of the two NGOs awarded EPIC grants in the Agriculture Category: (L-R) Sacha Thompson, Digicel Foundation Board Secretary; Gloria Coombs of Court Shamrock; Dr Susan Champman, Rincon Project Coordinator for Living Water Community, and Romona Boisselle-Romano, Digicel Foundation Board Director.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, 2024: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – Ten non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are poised to launch sustainable projects that will transform their communities with the support of the Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities (EPIC) grant programme. Chosen from over 100 applications following months of rigorous screening, the ten recipients represent diverse and impactful causes in the areas of Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Education, Technology and Environment.
Each organisation will receive up to TT$150,000 to bring its project vision to life, thanks to the EPIC grant funding provided by The Digicel Foundation in partnership with Shell Trinidad and Tobago. The 2024-2025 EPIC grant awardees are: The Adult Literacy Tutors Association (ALTA); Cashew Gardens; Court Shamrock; Eva Foundation; Gasparillo Organisation for Community Development; Grande Riviere Tourism Development Organisation; Living Water Community; Rebirth House; Ryu Dan Empowerment Foundation; and Trinidad and Tobago Association of Energy Engineers (TTAEE).
“Over the years, the EPIC programme has grown into a powerful catalyst for change, empowering individuals and organisations to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in our communities,” said Sacha Thomson, Chairman of Digicel Trinidad and Tobago and Secretary of the Digicel Foundation Board, at the EPIC launch on 10 December, held at the Shell Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality Suite, Queen’s Park Oval, St. Clair.
(L-R) EPIC Grant awardees in the Renewable Energy Category (from left to right) Len Peters and Nicholas Alexander of the Grande Riviere Tourism Development Organisation and Thomas Jackson and Arvin Singh of the Trinidad and Tobago Association for Energy Engineers, pose with Shell T&T’s Ryssa Brathwaite, Social Performance & Social Investment Advisor (on the left) and Candice Clarke-Salloum, Corporate Relations Manager and Country Chair for the English Caribbean.
Shell T&T’s Social Performance & Social Investment Advisor Ryssa Braithwaite spoke positively about the power of the partnership with Digicel Foundation, stating: “At Shell, we deeply value partnerships like this one. Together we are like the battery and the engine of a car—Digicel Foundation powers the connections that keep communities in touch and thriving, while Shell fuels the drive to move forward and make tangible progress. Together, we ensure the journey is both connected and unstoppable.”
The Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad and Tobago will disburse TT$1,338,340 to support the next cycle of EPIC projects, which are scheduled to start in January 2025. EPIC was launched by the Digicel Foundation in 2016 to provide financial and technical support to small-scale, community-based organisations, and has since funded 150 projects, benefiting over 88,000 persons in communities across Trinidad and Tobago.
ENDS
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.
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