The Digicel Foundation Provides Upgrades to the Pringle Home for Children
Child homelessness and poverty is a dire issue in Jamaica. According to UNICEF, one in four children in Jamaica live in poverty, and 73,000 children on the island are orphans who have lost either one or both of their parents. Due to these unstable living conditions, children are more vulnerable to exploitation, health issues, and violence.
Luckily, facilities like the Pringle Home for Children exist to help take care of these vulnerable youth. Run by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, the Pringle Home has been caring for boys and girls in Jamaica for more than 70 years. The facility provides educational, recreational, and worship services to orphaned and abandoned children.
Unfortunately, the Pringle Home was recently at risk for closure due to an outdated kitchen that didn’t meet licensing requirements. After a visit to the facility, the Digicel Foundation reached out to the home to see how they could assist.
The Digicel Foundation was able to help the Pringle Home by outfitting the facility with new cabinetry and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Feeling invigorated by the work of the Digicel Foundation volunteers, the Pringle Home children and staff even pitched in to do some additional cleaning around the facility.
In addition to providing a safe and efficient environment for meal preparation, the new upgrades also help breathe new life into the facility.
Charmaine Daniels, CEO of the Digicel Foundation, said, “A simple project like replacing cabinets in a kitchen can bring new life to a space; our Digicel volunteers are excited to be giving back to the home and lifting the spirits of its wards…This is an opportunity for us to come together and create a world where no one gets left behind.”