Digicel Foundation Partners with JPS Foundation and Flow Foundation to Provide Hurricane Relief

Kingston, Jamaica – July 11, 2024 – In the wake of the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl, which left significant damage in St. Elizabeth and Clarendon, Digicel Foundation, JPS Foundation, and Flow Foundation have joined forces to bring much-needed relief to the affected communities.

Charmaine Daniels, CEO of Digicel Foundation expressed the urgency and commitment behind the initiative. She said, "It is one Jamaica. We all love Jamaica and are all committed to building Jamaica. All three companies are working day and night to restore light and network connectivity, and at the same time, we’re fostering a spirit of resilience and hope among the residents of St. Elizabeth and Clarendon.”

In a heartfelt show of solidarity, the three foundations have mobilised significant resources to aid the recovery efforts. They are providing over 1,000 essential supplies, including water, cleaning supplies, tarpaulins, and non-perishable food items, to the affected areas. Additionally, they are setting up charging stations in the communities to ensure residents can stay connected with loved ones and access vital information.

Pia Baker, Senior Vice President for Customer Experience and Commercial at JPS emphasised the importance of collaboration among the three utility companies for the greater good. "You see Digicel and Flow here because it has to be a very tight partnership. We have to power up first for them to be able to provide connectivity to the customers. Additionally, we do understand that it is not just about power. There is a lot of social relief that we have to come in."

The government reports that approximately 257 utility poles were downed by the hurricane, leaving many areas without power or communication services.

Lorna, a resident of Parottee District in St. Elizabeth, shared her experience, "The hurricane affect me very bad. The house mash up, the car mash up and the shop mash up and that’s where I make my livelihood from. I’m still grateful for this package, no matter how small it is, I’m still very grateful because we need it."

Her neighbour, Monique Wright, added, "I’m 25 years old and I just started out with my poultry business and after the hurricane I don’t have anything. So, I’m thankful for this support from Digicel Foundation, JPS, and Flow."