SHELL T&T AND DIGICEL FOUNDATION DISBURSE TT$1MILLION IN COMMUNITY GRANTS
One Seed for Change copped an EPIC grant from the Digicel Foundation and Shell T&T for its 'Farm to Feed' project that introduces rabbit rearing to residents of Aripo Heights.
TUE 30 JAN, 2024: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – At the end of 2023, the Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited (Shell T&T) distributed one million dollars in community grants to support ten new ‘Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities’ (EPIC). The community projects are already well underway and set to be completed by March 2024.
“The EPIC programme speaks to supporting communities in a way that favours a bottom-up approach. You tell us what’s important to you and we help you realise your vision, always with the community and its people at the centre. Our role is to empower our partners to have greater reach and impact in their communities,” shared Desha Clifford, Chairman of the Digicel Foundation, on the purpose of the EPIC Programme.
The Digicel Foundation launched EPIC in 2016 as a small grants initiative, and it has continuously grown in scale and impact since then. Through partnership with Shell T&T, the 2023-2024 EPIC programme offered 10 community organisations an enhanced TT$100,000 grant to implement sustainable community initiatives in the areas of renewable energy, agriculture, and the environment.
The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) is hard at work in Tobago implementing a solar-powered, bird squawker sound deterrent system using the Digicel Foundation and Shell T&T's EPIC Grant.
“Together, we could do more, reach more, go further, be bolder. Shell and the Foundation could leverage our collective strengths to support organisations across both Trinidad and Tobago, in rural and urban communities, to benefit persons of all ages, at all stages, from all walks of life. Together, we are building local capacity, fostering innovation, and contributing to sustainable community development,” said Clint Khan, General Manager-Safety and Environment at Shell Trinidad and Tobago.
The organisations implementing 2023-2024 EPIC projects are Barataria Community Council; Brazil Village Farmers’ Group; Canaan Bon Accord Sports Club; Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI); Deltones Institute of Steel Drums and Music; Naparima College; Original Trinitario Cocoa Education Foundation; One Seed for Change; and Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers in collaboration with Soroptimist International Esperance.
Since 2016, EPIC has impacted 140 communities in Trinidad and Tobago through a total investment TT$6.2 million.
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.
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.