Digicel Foundation donates school supplies to special-needs students

Eighty-eight students enrolled in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security's Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) have been assisted in their preparations for the 2023-24 academic year with the provision of school supplies from Digicel Foundation.

Established in 1975, the ESP is an early intervention programme which caters to young children up to six years old, with developmental disabilities. Speaking during the handover ceremony at Stimulation Plus Child Development Centre on Hanover Street in downtown Kingston on Monday, Labour Minister Pearnel Charles Jr said partnerships are key to creating the best foundation for special-needs children.

"This donation will not only ease the financial burden on the parents of these children as they prepare for the new school year, but I think, beyond that, I speak on behalf of the parents in saying that it resonates more than just financial support. It shows that there are persons who care, and that you are not in this alone," Charles shared.

Digicel Foundation Communications and Digital Media Officer, Kedisha Clarke, said the annual donation of school supplies is one facet of the organisation's long-standing relationship with the ESP. Clarke shared that each school bag provided contains books, crayons, rulers, sharpeners and other stationery supplies. The school supplies will be shared equally between ESP Kingston and Portland.