Social Impact with Emma » Digicel Foundation : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Fifteen Strong, and a Woman’s Supportive Voice

November 25th, 2019

I shared in a happy event last week, at the headquarters of Digicel, downtown. Their lobby unfortunately has a huge echo effect, so the voices of employees chatting as they waited for the elevator did a ricochet around my head. It is however a bright and lofty space. Regardless of the voices, we joined the […]

What is the Problem With Implementing the Disabilities Act?

September 21st, 2017

Yesterday I attended a lunchtime information session at the offices of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Jamaica. Executive Director of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) in Jamaica, Dr. Carolyn Gomes and Rodje Malcolm of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) gave us a succinct presentation on the state of human rights on the island. It […]

Early Childhood Education: “You Have to Get It Right From the Start”

August 31st, 2016

The Auditorium at Jamaica College was overflowing. People spilled outside, meeting up and chatting in the warm sunlight on the neat and tidy “JC” grounds. Inside was simply packed, filled with chairs. Every seat was taken as teachers, administrators and parents awaited the official launch of the Early Childhood Certification Fair, organized by the Early […]

Moving (Swiftly) Towards an Inclusive Society

December 15th, 2014

We need to get there – and fast. That was the message from CEO of the Digicel Foundation Samantha Chantrelle last week. Ms. Chantrelle, who herself has an autistic son, has a vision of Jamaica as a truly “inclusive society.” In the past few weeks I have heard this line from the National Anthem on […]

Running Round Town

August 19th, 2014

On your marks! In the past week, I have had online conversations with a fellow blogger and others about the plethora of “charity walks” (or runs, depending on your energy level) in and around Kingston. This prompted my colleague to write a piece suggesting that this method of fund-raising was not necessarily the most effective in […]

And What is Your Agenda? In Defence of NGOs

August 11th, 2014

What’s on the agenda? I notice that in the past year or so this word has crept into our public discourse. For some commentators it seems to have sinister connotations. As well as certain politically incorrect individuals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) apparently have “agendas.” Clearly, an organisation that takes up a particular cause or focuses on […]

Older Entries