ALTA WIDENS ACCESS TO ONLINE LITERACY CLASSES WITH ‘EPIC’ ICT LAB

Students from Melville Memorial Girls’ Anglican School flash bright smiles as they explore the ALTA Online web-based literacy programme in the newly outfitted student hub at ALTA’s head office in Belmont, courtesy EPIC Grant funding from Digicel Foundation and Shell T&T.

PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: WEDNESDAY 14 MAY 2025 – On May 14th, the Adult Literacy Tutors Association (ALTA) opened the doors to an upgraded training room and ICT centre at its Belmont office, enhancing the organisation’s capacity to serve literacy students, train volunteer tutors, and offer digital access to the wider community of Belmont.

ALTA was among ten non-profit organisations selected in December 2024 to receive support through the Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities (EPIC) grant programme, led by the Digicel Foundation in partnership with Shell Trinidad and Tobago.

(L-R) H.E. Peter Cavendish, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union; Arlene Wallace-Romero, CEO, ALTA; Paula Lucie-Smith, Founder, ALTA; H.E. Cornelius Wilhelmus Hersbach, Ambassador, Kingdom of Netherlands; Romona Boiselle-Romano, Director, Digicel Foundation; Elwyn McQuilkin, Consular Officer, Grenada Trade and Economic Commission; Nicholas Brodber, First Secretary, Jamaican High Commission; Simone David, Finance Manager, Shell T&T, and Penny Gomez, CEO, Digicel Foundation at the launch of the ALTA Online Student Hub on 14th May.  

The upgraded training room is used year-round by ALTA’s extensive network of volunteers, including Regional Coordinators, Class Coordinators, Facilitators, and Tutors, and the dedicated ICT centre, known as the ‘ALTA Online Student Hub’, will provide computer and internet access, not only to ALTA students, but to nearby schools and community members.

“This room at 84 Belmont Circular Road is the engine of ALTA. It's where we make literacy happen – in Belmont and in the country as a whole,” shared ALTA’s Founder, Paula Lucie-Smith, at the official launch event. “By enhancing the learning environment and adding the ALTA Online Student Hub, Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad & Tobago, through ALTA, are breaking the cycle of low literacy to create lasting positive change.”

Simone David, Finance Manager, Shell T&T, joins two students at the ALTA Online Student Hub in Belmont on 14th May, 2025.

This development supports the growth of ALTA Online, the organisation’s digital literacy programme designed around Caribbean life skills. Expanding access to this innovative platform is central to ALTA’s mission of transforming lives through improved reading, writing, and spelling.

“Partnering with ALTA for this EPIC initiative perfectly aligns with our commitment to bridging the digital divide,” said Romona Boiselle-Romano, Digicel Foundation Director. “With our investment of $149,000 in ALTA, we believe we can empower communities and foster opportunities for all. Together, we are paving the way for a more inclusive digital future, ensuring that no one is left behind as we embrace the transformative power of technology.”

This student eagerly shares her ALTA Online learning progress with Digicel Foundation Director Romona Boiselle-Romano (on the right), in the company of H.E. Peter Cavendish, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union, and ALTA’s CEO, Arlene Wallace-Romero.  

“At Shell, education is at the core of our social investment strategy,” emphasised Simone David, Finance Manager, Shell T&T. “We believe in building long-term value in the communities we serve…and we can do even more when we work together. Our collaboration with Digicel Foundation on this project demonstrates the power of partnership in driving real, measurable change. By combining our resources, our networks, and our shared values, we are creating impact that will ripple out into homes, communities, and futures for years to come.”

The 2024-2025 EPIC programme awarded grants to ten community organisations across Trinidad and Tobago, with a total investment of TT$1.4 million, set to benefit approximately 58,000 people. The grants were awarded to projects focused on Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Education, Technology and the Environment, thereby funding non-profit initiatives aligned with key national development indicators.

ENDS -

About Digicel

As a Digital Operator, Digicel is in the business of delivering powerful digital experiences 1440 minutes of each day to customers – that’s every minute, all day, every day.

Through its world-class LTE and fibre networks, together with its suite of eight apps spanning sports (SportsMax), music (D’Music), news (Loop), local radio and podcasts (GoLoud), TV streaming, (PlayGo) enhanced messaging and marketplaces (BiP), cloud storage (Billo) and self-care (MyDigicel app), Digicel is the only operator in its markets that can deliver the complete digital experience.

Serving consumer and business customers in 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America, and Pacific with investments of over US$7 billion and a commitment to communities in Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, and Trinidad & Tobago, the Digicel Foundation has contributed to positive outcomes for over three million people to date.

With its Better Together brand, Digicel is promising “simply more” to its customers and communities as the company’s 7,000 employees worldwide work together to make this pledge a powerful reality day in, day out.

For more, visit www.digicelgroup.com

About Shell Trinidad and Tobago:

Shell has been in Trinidad and Tobago for over 100 years and has played a major role in the development of its oil and gas industry. With operations in offshore and onshore blocks (both operated and non-operated) as well as a shareholding in Atlantic LNG, the sixth largest liquefaction facility in the world, Shell Trinidad and Tobago delivers an integrated gas operation to supply the petrochemical market and Atlantic LNG.

At Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited, we continue to work together with Government, Communities and our partners to add value and contribute to the country’s further development and to maximize the benefits of Trinidad and Tobago's hydrocarbon resources to the country.