KINGSTON, Jamaica— Five community-based projects will have the opportunity to better able to serve the people of their respective areas after being awarded $650,000 grants by Digicel Foundation on Tuesday at Digicel Jamaica’s waterfront store in downtown Kingston.

The grants will be used for a variety of initiatives that will enhance both the communities and the lives of those impacted and will include individuals from varying age groups.

Digicel Jamaica is celebrating 20 years of existence and will provide the 20 for 20 grants in the Mek A Muckle programme, which is a part of the Digicel Foundation’s micro-grant programme that is used for community-based organisations to complete small projects.

The five projects that received the grants on Tuesday form part of the 20 across the island that will benefit this year.

The five are Golden Kiddies Kingdom in Clarendon, Church of God of Prophecy Basic School in Kingston, Southern Basketball Conference in St Andrew, Windsor Lions Community Sports Club in St Catherine, and Needham Pen Farmers’ Association in St Thomas.

Digicel Jamaica’s General Manager of Sales and Distribution, Jeremy Owen, said the projects were all selected by the communities, working with dealer stores across the island and the Digicel Foundation. 

“Each community would have different needs and there are a lot of persons that need certain help. These were selected by our dealer partners who operate the stores, in conjunction with persons in the community, who felt that these were the particular projects and programmes that need help at this time the most.

“So it really tie in together, customers who shop with us, we knowing what the needs are of the community and it is a win-win situation for all,” Owen said.

Golden Kiddies Kingdom will be integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning and will purchase and install aquaponics systems for growing vegetables and rearing Tilapia as well as farm tools and equipment.

Southern Basketball Conference, which is based on Majestic Gardens, will procure sporting equipment, gear, learning aides and upgrade the basketball court.

Church of God of Prophecy Basic School will seek to build a fence for the play area, re-lay tiles and apply partitioning.

Windsor Lions Community Sports Club will do roofing works and bathroom fixtures to the community centre and purchase learning tools and furniture supplies to assist with homework and computer literacy.

The Needham Pen Farmers Association will set up, procure and install drip irrigation systems to serve 90 farmers.

According to Adrian Spencer, public relations officer for Windsor Lions Community Sports Club, the assistance will also benefit neighbouring communities.

“It will assist in developing the sports club itself, an area where a multi-purpose court will be, as well as a football field and a community centre.

“This community centre will also help the adjoining communities’ kids, with homework and computer literacy as well as adults who are not computer literate and the netball multi-purpose court will help the youths in sports as well as the adjoining basic schools and primary schools,” Spencer said.

Principal of Golden Kiddies Kingdom, Shellivie Smith, said the institution’s STEM programme will be greatly enhanced with the assistance of the grant.

  “Children who are born with naturalistic intelligence will get a chance to be identified from early, getting to experience the environment, nature in all kind of forms, especially through aquaponics. So we are going to have an aquaponics farm and we are going to show them how they can harvest water for our farm, so they will be watching fish grow, while we are growing vegetables as well.

“This will also help to build lessons and it will be an extra-curricular activity for children up to primary school level, who wants to come over and be a part of our club, Budding Green Temple Club,” Smith said.