The Digicel Foundation, in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), launched their Innovation Challenge for Persons with Disabilities on Thursday.
The Innovation Challenge for Persons with Disabilities is described as the first of its kind in Trinidad and Tobago.
Through the programme, five grants worth over $600,000 will be awarded to persons with disabilities or organisations for persons with disabilities who wish to accelerate or expand a sustainable business idea.
National Coordinator at the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), Dr. Sharda Mahabir, said that, in recognising the number of people with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago that need support, her organisation decided to partner with the Digicel Foundation ten years ago.
“It is established that in Trinidad and Tobago, at least 4% of the citizenry, or about 52,000 people, have a disability.”
To date, they continue to collaborate to implement projects to empower people with disabilities.
“So over the past ten years, both Digicel Foundation and GEF SGP have realised that persons with disabilities need more. They need more commitment. They need more support. They need more learning opportunities and more funding opportunities.”
The latest collaboration was the launch of the Innovation Challenge for Persons with Disabilities on Thursday. Digicel’s Chief Executive Officer, Pieter Verkade, explained the idea behind the initiative.
“This innovation challenge collaboration is valued at $675,000. It will provide five grants of up to $90,000 to persons with disabilities who have a business idea they wish to accelerate or expand. This idea was born from years of listening. It’s been designed to increase access for persons with disabilities to develop innovative, revenue-generating ideas, allowing them to support themselves, their families, and contribute in a meaningful way to society.”