In a landmark initiative for disability inclusion in Trinidad and Tobago, the Digicel Foundation partnered with the United Nations Development Programme’s Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme to award six entities through the first-of-its-kind ‘Innovation Challenge’ grant. The program provides each grantee with funding of up to TT$450,000 to advance their business ideas and transform innovative concepts into measurable social impact.
The six recipients of the grant are the Cashew Gardens Community Council, Joe Brien Media, New Beginners Educational Centre, Healing with Horses, Kidspace Educational Limited, and Lady Hochoy Gasparillo. This initiative is designed to empower persons with disabilities by creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, while addressing longstanding economic and social barriers they face in education, employment, and business access.
Penny Gomez, CEO of the Digicel Foundation, emphasized that inclusion is not merely a matter of social responsibility but a driver of national development. She highlighted that programs like this innovation challenge open doors for creativity, entrepreneurship, and resilience among persons with disabilities, strengthening society as a whole.
UNDP Resident Representative Ugo Blanco framed the grant as a responsibility rather than charity, underscoring that sustainable development requires inclusivity. He noted that approximately 50,000 people, or 4% of the population in Trinidad and Tobago, live with disabilities and called for more efforts to ensure that everyone has a voice in shaping the country’s future.
Nirmala Maharaj-Sawh, Director of Disability Affairs at the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services, highlighted that initiatives like this grant provide meaningful benefits across society. She emphasized that inclusion represents investment and empowerment rather than mere assistance, shifting the focus toward creating solutions and fostering opportunity for persons with disabilities.
