The Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation today announced that it will provide additional funding of over US$290,000 to projects that will improve the lives of children in areas of the Caribbean impacted by last year’s hurricanes. This follows the Foundation’s initial US$100,000 donation to ShelterBox for relief efforts after the hurricanes, as well as a clean-up of the CHANCES children’s home in Dominica as part of C&W Communications’ annual Mission Day.

The new funding – made up of five individual grants – is a continuation of the Foundation’s plans to restore and rebuild affected countries. The grants will be used to support critical education services in some of the most badly impacted countries including the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Dominica and Anguilla.

Specifically, the Foundation’s funding will be used as follows:

• In BVI:
  • US$100,000 will be used towards replacing the roof at the sole secondary school – Bregado Flax Secondary School – on Virgin Gorda
  • US$25,000 will be used towards repairs for the Eslyn Richiez Henly School for Disabled Children
• In Turks & Caicos Islands, US$100,000 will be used to provide computers, printers, desks and chairs for children in the Osetta Jolly Primary School
• In Dominica, US$45,000 will be used towards refurnishing the computer lab of Roseau Primary School, providing essential equipment like computers, projectors, flat screens and printers
• In Anguilla, US$22,500 will be used to provide supplies and repair the doors, windows and roof of Bethel Pre-School, working in partnership with Rotary District 7020.

The Board of the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation chose these projects as it believed they would have a long-lasting positive impact on a great number of children and their families. The projects chosen also align with the Foundation’s strategic aims of educating and empowering communities.

Gina Colesanti, Director of the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to provide these much-needed grants to improve the lives of children impacted by the

2017 hurricane season in the Caribbean. By rebuilding and furnishing schools in BVI, Turks & Caicos, Dominica and Anguilla, we’re creating a better environment for these kids to learn and grow – giving them a great start in life and setting them up for future success.”

Colesanti also thanked the major sponsors of the Foundation which include Sterlite; the Premier League; Anixter; Evolution Digital; One Caribbean; Lorac; HBO Latin America; Advantage Communications; Deloitte and Telenet. Their generosity contributed to the US$1 million that the Foundation has raised so far – which includes the US$500,000 seed funding provided by C&W Communications at its launch.

The Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation was set up by C&W Communications initially as response to the humanitarian crisis caused by devastating hurricanes in 2017. The Foundation is increasingly the company’s platform for advancing social development in the region, as it strives to fulfil its mission of connecting communities and transforming lives, by funding education and empowerment projects like these five initiatives. The Foundation has a number of similar projects in the pipeline and will announce more details in due course.

To find out more about the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, visit cwc.com, or follow C&W Communications on Twitter.