NAPARIMA COLLEGE PROMOTING AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION

Naparima College students team up to plant seedlings in the school’s solar-powered vertical hydroponic units.

FRIDAY 26 APRIL 2024, PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – In a true example of community spirit, the young men of Naparima College have been growing produce at their school to provide fresh garden greens for students-in-need, as well as neighbouring homes for the elderly. Their small-scale efforts were rewarded last year when the school’s Interact Club won an Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities (EPIC) grant of $100,000 from the Digicel Foundation in partnership with Shell Trinidad and Tobago to expand their solar-powered vertical hydroponic garden.

Digicel Foundation Board Director Trijata Maraj (right) and Shell T&T Performance and Social Investment Adviser Ryssa Brathwaite (left) cut the ribbon to officially launch the Naparima College EPIC project alongside other project stakeholders.

On 23 April 2024, the Naparima College Interact Club unveiled 10 newly installed SolarPonix units to the media and major stakeholders. The SolarPonix is a mobile hydroponic unit that uses climate-smart, green technology to monitor crop growth and moisture, therefore reducing water wastage. Additionally, the grant covered the cost to install solar panels to power the units as well as the school’s entire science block.

As part of their EPIC project, the Interact club members donated two SolarPonix units to the nearby JC McDonald Home for the Aged and the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities. The youth helped with the installation, provided training to the residents and staff and shared knowledge of the science behind the farming system.

Cindyann Currency, Digicel Foundation’s Head of Operations, learns more about the SolarPonix system at the Naparima College from students at the project launch on Tuesday 23 April 2024.

The next step for these eco-minded students is the launch of their own Green Market in June – ‘Naps Market’. “By hosting Naps Market, we will help strengthen our local food system by addressing issues of food security and malnutrition while promoting sustainable agriculture, health and wellness throughout the community,” explained Bryan Balkissoon, President of Naparima College Interact Club Junior.

Digicel Foundation Board Director Pamela Sankar praises the Naparima College hydroponics initiative at the project launch on Tuesday 23 April 2024.

Digicel Foundation’s Board Director Pamela Sankar shared, “Knowing that the young men at this school have been directly involved in implementation of this high-tech farming project warms my heart.  But what really sold us on the partnership was the community aspect of the project – helping yourselves and your immediate school community is congratulatory, however, to include others that are more vulnerable is what really makes the world spin and for that we applaud you.”

Ryssa Brathwaite, Shell T&T Performance and Social Investment Adviser, commended the students on the initiative, stating "You're nurturing resilience (and) self-sufficiency within the school and the surrounding community. Harnessing the power of that very hot sun to reduce the electricity bills of the schools, and feeding your wider community, to the green market – it really takes this project to a whole other level."

Principal of Naparima College Roger Ali addresses corporate sponsors and stakeholders at the launch of the school’s hydroponics project expansion on Tuesday 12 April 2024.

Principal Ali thanked the corporate stakeholders for investing in Naparima College and promoting agricultural innovation in such a sustainable way.  To date, there are 150 EPIC projects across Trinidad and Tobago impacting over 88,000 persons through an investment of TT$7.2 million by the Digicel Foundation.

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Proud of their produce! (L-R ) Students Bryan Balkissoon and Kristopher Mohamed, executive members of the Naparima College Interact Club, took media and stakeholders on a tour of the school’s hydroponics system on Tuesday 23 April 2024.

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.