“A Sense of Love”

“You come down here to remember what love is all about.”

On a humid morning in East Kingston, CEO of the Digicel Foundation Samantha Chantrelle said this is her experience when visiting Early Stimulation Plus. She visits often. Early Stimulation Plus is a school serving just over 100 students. These are students with special needs; they are young children with disabilities, who also come from disadvantaged homes in Kingston. Most are enrolled in the Government’s Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH). They were so wildly excited at this morning’s official opening of eight new classrooms (beautifully equipped with specialized equipment and furniture) that they could hardly stay in their seats. The many parents in attendance could not contain their smiles.

Samantha Chantrelle, CEO of Digicel Foundation. (Photo: Gleaner)

Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal (and Technology Minister) Phillip Paulwell pointed out that this institution would benefit from his planned program to provide a tablet for every student in state schools. The first phase of the project will cost J$1.5 billion. (My photo)

Early Stimulation Plus is a part of the Jamaican Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s long-standing Early Stimulation Program, established in 1975. Minister Derrick Kellier sees Digicel’s donation of approximately J$37.8 million to the school as another step towards a “more embracing, inclusive and empowering” environment for people with disabilities. Minister Kellier also urged Jamaicans with disabilities to “get registered now,” informing us that the government’s National Disability Bill will be tabled in Parliament soon.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier.

The speeches were short and sweet, actually. And then there was the “cultural item” – a special feature of Jamaican official ceremonies that offers a bit of a break – light relief, even. Today the cultural item was of special value, as a small group of Early Stimulation Plus students, shy but excited, clustered together. Their caregivers guided and encouraged them as they sang a Bob Marley medley. “Three Little Birds” was a touch hesitant, but they warmed up with “Exodus” (complete with stamping feet and swinging arms – Bob would have been proud). By the time they reached “One Love,” we were feeling a little tearful. Or at least I was. Ending with a resounding and enthusiastic shout of “Thank you!” – the children made everything complete.

“Three Little Birds.”

Director and Principal of Early Stimulation Plus Antonica Gunter-Gayle (who has worked in the program for the past 26 years) said she was “overwhelmed” by the generosity of the Digicel Foundation. Her short speech was full of “thank you”‘s – in particular, to the Foundation’s hard workers on the ground. At times, Ms. Gunter-Gayle sounded like an Oscar winner. I think she felt like one, today.

“My heart is overwhelmed”: Antonica Gunter-Gayle, director/principal of the Early Stimulation Programme and Stimulation Plus.

Ribbon cut! (left to right) Antonica Gunter-Gayle, Director/Principal of Early Stimulation Plus; Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier; Member of Parliament and Minister Phillip Paulwell; and Barry O’Brien, CEO of Digicel Jamaica. Not forgetting the happy students!

Then it was time to get out the over-sized pair of scissors and cut the red ribbon. The small students in their brown uniforms tucked themselves in and Minister Kellier did the job while the others held the ribbon. Afterwards, we all spilled out in different directions among the eight new classrooms, a small village. Painted in soft, calming colors, the rooms contained all kinds of marvelous, brightly-colored equipment designed to help the children’s physical and mental development. Two children sat down at one small desk and immediately set to work with multi-colored beads of some sort, ignoring all the “big people” around them.

The volunteers from Rochester, New York. Big up yourselves!

Some supporters from overseas were there. I met geriatric consultant Terri Checkosky Maher from Rochester, New York. She was there as part of a team of volunteers, certified medical practitioners and students, who had joined a 157-member medical mission to Jamaica last June. At that time they had donated equipment and teaching aides; this time, the group returned for the opening of the new facilities.

As the ribbon was about to be cut, some gentle drops of rain fell. The photo-op was in danger of being washed out. But the rain held off, hovering over the green bulk of Long Mountain, instead.

The front yard of Early Stimulation Plus, with Long Mountain beyond.

Anyway, as I reminded them, rain means “blessings” in Jamaica. And these little children, and their caregivers, are indeed blessed.

The children make it all worthwhile.

A note on the Digicel Foundation, the largest local private sector foundation in Jamaica: Since its inception in 2004 it has invested over J$1.2 billion in communities in which Digicel operates island-wide, with a special focus on education, special needs and community empowerment. It has committed to building three Special Needs schools; two of which, the STEP Centre and NAZ Children’s Centre, broke ground in 2012. Over J$100 million has gone to its Enrichment Initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education to improve literacy in primary schools; over J$38 million has gone to resource rooms, including science and IT labs, in high schools; over J$60 million for community empowerment initiatives over the past four years, including J$10 million annually and J$15 million in 20102 to support the National Best Communities Competition and Program; and J$13 million in the “Back to Roots” project to assist community-based organizations in becoming more self-reliant through sustainable social enterprises. For more information, go to: http://www.digiceljamaicafoundation.org. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/digiceljafoundation. Twitter: @digiceljafdn.

One of the rooms with specialized equipment.

A student gets to work.

“One Love.”

“Exodus.”