The Digicel Foundation selected the Occupational Therapy (OT) Department at the University of the Southern Caribbean as one of the beneficiaries in its “Digicel Foundation’s Centres of Excellence” programme. The Occupational Therapy Department was awarded a grant of TT$130,000.00 to be used towards the “Digicel Foundation Occupational Therapy Simulation and Resource Lab” to be located at the USC main campus, Maracas, St. Joseph.
Established in 2012, the Digicel Foundation focuses on building awareness, providing therapy and supporting opportunities for capacity building and promotion of inclusion for persons with special needs. Continuing its support for persons dedicated to working with people with special needs, the occupational therapy lab will house specialized equipment to educate the OT masters students as well as an adaptive mini-apartment in which the students will be able to practice hands-on therapeutic techniques. The grant will also be used to purposely retrofit bathrooms and outdoor access to the occupational therapy department thereby creating a truly accessible environment for this innovative programme.
The signing of the contract sealing the partnership took place on October 31st at USC’s main campus in Maracas, St. Joseph. On behalf of USC, the director of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy programme, Dr Lesley Garcia thanked Digicel Foundation Project Manager, Ms Natalie de Silva, “We are grateful and excited to collaborate with the Digicel Foundation. It is heartwarming to have corporate support for a profession that is so needed like ours. Thank you for your vision and support.”