School for the Blind gets braille machines

Digicel Foundation has donated braille machines to the Salvation Army School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The machines, valued at nearly half a million dollars, were handed over to the students and staff on Thursday at the school's Mannings Hill Road, St Andrew location.

"We have been blessed so much as an organisation that on this, Digicel's 22nd birthday, we wanted to give back," said CEO of the Digicel Foundation Charmaine Daniels at the handing over ceremony.

She said that the area of special needs is a major focus of the foundation, adding, "We aim to promote access to resources, especially to education, for persons with disabilities."

The school's principal, Iyeke Erharuyi, expressed gratitude to Digicel Foundation for their kind donation.

"As a school, the braille machine is like a pen or pencil to us. Braille machines are sourced from overseas and those who are fortunate to have one know that they are very expensive. We have 132 students at the school but only 26 machines are in use," he said.

"We are always writing letters to corporate companies, requesting assistance to purchase braille machines. However, Digicel Foundation, without us even asking, donated these machines to us," Erharuyi added.