ADMINISTRATORS of Caribbean Christian School for the Deaf (CCCD) are breathing a sigh of relief after getting help to improve the water supply system for the Knockpatrick, Manchester campus and the more than 100 deaf children, teens, and young adults there.

The donation comes at a critical time for CCCD, which has struggled with water shortages for more than two years. CCCD’s Campus Manager Trudy Powell described the daily pressure of managing without reliable access to water.

“We were spending up to $800,000 a year purchasing water just to keep the school running. It reached a point where we considered sending our students home,” said Powell.

“This support allows us to redirect funds into critical areas while also planning for long-term sustainability,” added Powell as she pointed out that improvements, such as gutter repairs and expanded tank storage, will allow CCCD to harvest more than 100,000 gallons of water during the rainy season, ensuring coverage during dry periods and enabling the campus to resume hosting income-generating summer camps and group visits.

The impact extends to CCCD’s small-scale farming and livestock activities, which had also been scaled back due to water issues.

“We even had to buy water for our animals. This support helps us restore and expand operations and meet the standards required to keep our doors open,” said Powell.

She summed up the importance of the initiative.

“There were days our students came to me saying, ‘Miss Trudy, there’s no water’. This donation has brought us relief and hope so now we can focus on helping our students thrive.”

Help for the CCCD has come through Digicel Foundation, in partnership with RESET Project 2025 and The Rescue Package Foundation, with a donation of $2 million towards building a rainwater harvesting and supply system at CCCD in Manchester.

RESET Project 2025 — led by Olamay Events CEO Annoleah Wynter — was launched on January with a vision of transforming lives through community service, gospel music, and strategic partnerships.

“Our goal is to create lasting change in communities that need it most. Partnering with CCCD represents exactly the kind of legacy we want to leave, one that empowers and uplifts,” said Wynter.

In the meantime, Miguel “Steppa” Williams, director of strategic planning and community development at Digicel Foundation, said the initiative was a perfect match for its mission.

“When The Rescue Package Foundation team brought this proposal to us, it aligned well with our core areas of support. It impacts the special needs community, promotes good environmental practices, and enables long-term sustainability — everything we stand for,” said Williams.

He noted that CCCD and The Rescue Package Foundation are long-standing partners of Digicel Foundation.

“We are proud to invest in projects that deliver measurable, meaningful results for communities across Jamaica. This project is not just about water, it’s about dignity, stability, and empowerment,” added Williams.

Founded in 1957, CCCD has served as a cornerstone for deaf education and empowerment in Jamaica. Its three residential schools, and the Jamaica Deaf Village, offer academic, vocational, and spiritual support to help deaf individuals live independently and confidently.