Corporate Social Responsibility
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Carib Cement supports access to education and safety in schools
Forty-four students from the Bull Bay, Rockfort, Mountain View/Vineyard Town and Clarendon areas have received technology support towards their education, from corporate giants, Carib Cement Company Limited.
Also, in advancing its education and technological support, Carib Cement will donate ten laptops to teachers to help in the delivery of online education.
According to Yago Castro, General Manager at Carib Cement Company Limited, today, digital learning has emerged as a necessary resource for students and schools all over the world. For many educational institutes, this is an entirely new way of education that they have had to adopt.
“We understand the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the disruptive effects on the education sector,” Castro said.
“We have been working with our communities to help address health and safety needs of schools as well as ways of improving access to education through technology,” he added.
Online learning is now applicable not just to learn academics but it also extends to learning extracurricular activities for students as well.
According to Klao Bell-Lewis, Head of Communications, Social Impact and Media Strategy at Carib Cement Company Limited, in recent months, the demand for online learning has risen significantly, and it will continue doing so in the future.
“We worked with communities to identify most relevant needs. Our hope is for our intervention to have significant transformational effect on families, and will motivate young people to persevere, despite the odds,” Bell-Lewis said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered new ways of learning. All around the world, educational institutions are looking toward online learning platforms to continue with the process of educating students.
Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams, in her keynote address said with technology being embedded in every aspect of our daily lives, the Ministry wants to ensure that all students are connected and gain the skills they need to operate in a world, that is becoming more and more technology infused.
“Thanks to Carib Cement for making this significant donation to the schools and residents of the Bull Bay and Rockfort Community,” Williams said.
“It is a permanent gift to the education sector as we try to live through the pandemic and help our students stay connected in the teaching and learning experience that they so deserve,” she added.
Principal of Donald Quarrie High School, Talbert Weir, said the impact of the gesture is immeasurable because most of the students at the institution do not have access or gadgets for online learning.
“This gesture will not only aid students of the Donald Quarrie High School but also the other recipients. Our students will tell you that having a device makes life that much easier for them.
The company having adjusted its usual CSR budget to have impact in the area most needed, supporting education and youth during the pandemic, has invested $10 million in education support since 2020.
Over $2.3 million has been allocated to health and safety items to schools, and these include sinks to create additional hand washing stations and hand sanitizers and soaps.
Additionally, $2.5 million in school uniforms have been distributed to rural schools, while the company also donated $1 million to the MultiCare YUTE Foundation and $250,000 to expand the delivery of an online Math Learning programme developed by the Rockfort Youth Development Council.
Supporting communities through donations of hand sanitisers and soaps
Our close engagement with communities has led to our responding quickly to participate in mitigating against the risks of COVID-19. Since March, we have had several partnerships and interventions in communities close to our plant by way of donations 3300 bottles of hand sanitisers and 3300 bottles of soap to communities in Bull Bay, East Kingston and Woodside, Clarendon. In the collage, General Manager, Yago Castro delivers donations to the Most Honourable Juliet Holness, Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew (where our quarries are located); while Jerome Cowans, CSR Specialist delivers donations to community representatives Ms. Jones Stewart (top left) and Mr. Melvin Brown (bottom left) of communities close to our Rockfort plant and lime quarry in Clarendon respectively.
Carib Cement donates PPE to front line workers
Caribbean Cement Company has supported front line health workers with contributions of 2000 pairs of medical gloves, 2000 N95 masks and 16 quick read thermometers to the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) and the South East Regional Health Authority of the Ministry of Health. Together, these regions include 14 hospitals and 164 health centers in eight parishes. The donations were handed over by Yago Castro, General Manager of Carib Cement to Dr Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health and Wellness and to Mrs. Doreen Golding, Regional Manager of SERHA. Donations took place in April and June 2020.
In continuing the CEMEX Global Supply Chain Vulnerable Road Users initiative, CEMEX Jamaica and Caribbean Cement Company Limited teams donated reflector strips to the Clarendon Cycle Club recently. These strips will be used by club members who will also distribute them to pedal cyclists who they encounter without reflectors.
Just before a recent 192 kilometer ride from the parish of Clarendon to Montego Bay, the club members engaged in a discussion with Clinton O’ Connor, CEMX/Carib Cement’s Driving School Instructor. The cyclists received guidance on: personal protective equipment (PPE) including foot straps, helmets, and clothing; correct placement of reflector strips; blind spots of a truck; mindfulness of other road users including pedestrians; adherence to the road code and safe riding practices.
Club president, Deon Palmer said the discussion was timely as he continues to be concerned about the attitudes of drivers to cyclists.
“Motorists need to be more aware and to respect all road users, some drivers behave as if cyclists do not have a right to be on the road. Many riders get knocked off their bicycles daily but do not report it. Drivers need to take bicycle riders seriously and the risks we face,” Mr Palmer said.
The Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport reports that between 2015 to June 2020 there have been 137 fatal crashes involving pedal cyclists resulting in 139 deaths. The highest number was 32 in 2016, while so far this year 22 crashes have been reported. The Unit says pedal cyclists are among the most vulnerable users of Jamaican roads and included in its safety tips are that riders: wear bright coloured clothing; avoid riding at night; wear helmets, knee and elbow pads; consider the bicycle to be a vehicle; and follow all traffic laws as they are also applicable to bicycles.
Again, reinforcing the importance of safe practices, Mr Palmer said: “Given that there is no rear-view mirror on bicycles, cyclists must do everything possible to make themselves visible, such as wearing bright coloured clothing and using reflectors. They most also become knowledgeable of the road code and follow it.”
“In addition to this donation of reflector strips, which is enough for about 50 bicycles or more, we will be supporting the work of the Road Safety Unit by amplifying its safety recommendations for cyclists via digital media. Many collisions are preventable and we believe that education, awareness and reinforcing the importance of following the road codes can help change the attitudes and the practices which result in fatalities,” said Klao Bell-Lewis, Community Outreach manager at Carib Cement.
This donation is in keeping with Carib Cement’s ongoing work in the area of road safety which has included safety training for more than 180 truck drivers, road safety and truck safety awareness exercises for more than 2000 primary school students and the donation of 14 breathalysers to the Road Safety Unit in 2019. Carib Cement and CEMEX Jamaica are members of the CEMEX Group.
St. James Municipality partners with Caribbean Cement Company Limited and Jamaica Pre-Mix Concrete Limited to clean St. James Street and Sam Sharpe Square
Caribbean Cement Company Limited and Jamaica Pre-Mix Concrete Limited have teamed up in support of the St. James Municipal Corporation’s goal of sanitising the streets of Montego Bay.
The two companies provided four cement mixer trucks filled with 12000 gallons sanitation fluid which were used by work crew from the Municipality to clean St. James Street and Sam Sharp Square on Sunday June 28. The area cleaned was approximately one kilometre of sidewalks, steps, pathways and other surfaces.
Yago Castro, General Manager of Carib Cement said health and safety is a number one priority and is the reason behind the support of this initiative.
“The health and safety of the people of Jamaica is number one priority and everyone has to do all that we can to protect each other and keep Jamaica safe. Sanitising the streets is good for aesthetics, but also necessary for public health and safety. As we did in Kingston, we offered our support to this City because we see it as our responsibility to help where we can,” said Yago Castro General Manager of Carib Cement.
Jamaica Pre-Mix and Carib Cement collaborated in May to clean Nelson Mandela Park, in Half-Way Tree; St. William Grant’s Park located in downtown, Kingston, and the park located in Papine Square, St. Andrew.
“I was pleased with the outcome of our project in Kingston and told my team to look out for opportunities to assist elsewhere. Sanitisation is an important part of keeping our cities looking good and promoting good health, so our company is committed to assisting where it is possible to do so,” said John Valentine, Managing Director of Jamaica Pre-Mix.
Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis lauded the initiative as a good example of partnership in keeping with a common objective.
“As Mayor of this wonderful City, I am very appreciative of the support being received from two corporate giants. The cliché “our city’s beauty is our duty” resonates well with the team washing and sanitising these streets. I use this opportunity to ask our citizens to dispose of waste in a responsible manner and encourage your fellow citizens to join you. The fight to contain COVID 19 belongs to everyone and Jamaica Pre Mix and Carib Cement must be congratulated for this initiative. This is true partnership between the private and public sectors,” Mayor Davis said.
During the month of March the men and women of the Caribbean Cement Company came together to help end period poverty by way of a contribution of sanitary napkins to the Her Flow Foundation.（https://embraceherflow.com/who-we-are/） The initiative was conceptualized and coordinated by Ann-Marie Walters, Carib Cement’s Nurse Administrator who motivated many to give. Dr Shelley-Ann Weeks, founder of the Her Flow Foundation, on receiving the items, said they will be earmarked for areas in Jamaica which are under quarantine due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. This is especially helpful, as one of the quarantined communities is located close to the Carib Cement quarries. Libresse Jamaica was told about the initiative by a staff member and added 120 packages of sanitary napkins to the donation. By this initiative more than 100 girls can be assisted through their next period with the more than 300 packages of napkins donated.
Carib Cement donates decontamination unit to Rollington Town Fire Station
Fire stations need an area where officers can decontaminate safely when they return from fighting a blaze. Now, due to the intervention of the employees of the Caribbean Cement Company Ltd, what has been said to be the only functioning decontamination unit has been built at the Rollington Town Fire Station in Kingston.
On Thursday, March 12, Yago Castro, General Manager of Caribbean Cement Ltd on behalf of his team, officially handed over the unit to Superintendent Julian Davis-Buckle of the Kingston and St. Andrew Division.
The unit, an addition to the existing building and which houses wash areas, showers and a large specialist industrial washing machine, will allow the officers to exit from their trucks directly to this space.
“This is a result of the high level of social awareness of our team members and their commitment to their community. We have worked closely with and have improved the situation of police stations, churches, schools and Communities in the East Kingston, Harbour View and Bull Bay areas and the team identified in 2019 decided to improve their local community fire station. This is also the result of the strong safety mindset among our employees and we are happy to have been able to assist the personnel at Rollington Town Fire station to work more safely,” Mr Castro said.
Employees of Carib Cement suggested several projects for its Labour Day 2019 activity, on consultation with the fire station the need for a decontamination unit was identified, but the project was too big an undertaking for Labour Day. Instead, more than 40 employees painted the front of the building, the fence and cleared the overgrowth at the front of the station. This was followed by a further intervention by the company to construct the unit at a cost of more than three million dollars.
“We really appreciate this gift from the Caribbean Cement Company because it is the only unit in the country. Our officers sometimes have to leave fires where there are various toxins, then go on to rescue persons from cars without an opportunity to decontaminate. This unit will improve the health and safety of our team and I will be putting protocols in place to ensure its most effective operation,” Superintendent Buckle said.
The Rollington Town Fire Station, which hosts approximately 40 officers across several shifts is based on Giltress Street in East Kingston and serves 17 communities. Personnel and trucks are also sometimes called on to assist with fires outside of its designated region.
Superintendent Julian Davis-Buckle of the Kingston and St Andrew Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade with officers of the Rollington Town Fire Station and Carib Cement Employees (l-R) Garth Moss, Jerome Cowans and Klao Bell-Lewis with Yago Castro, General Manager and Andre Nelson at the handover of a decontamination unit recently
11 Men, Seven women trained
The Caribbean Cement Company Limited today handed over a block making machine for a social enterprise project within the community of 10 Miles Bull Bay, St. Andrew.
The social enterprise project, which has been registered and will be operated by an oversight body aims to address some of the socio-economic challenges within the community. The goal is to work with the community members and agencies to train youth in capacity building, block-making and other entrepreneurial skills while generating an income.
The concept for the project began in 2016 with work beginning in 2017. The process of acquiring the machine, electricity supply, water and other elements was followed by commissioning of the machine in 2019.
Carib Cement has funded training for eleven men and seven women in the theory of block making and specific training in handling the donated block machine, which is a DongYu Model QT 4-25.
Yago Castro, General Manager of Carib Cement said this approach is similar to social programmes implemented by CEMEX, Carib Cement’s parent company in other countries.
“CEMEX has a strong commitment to sustainable partnerships with communities and we at Carib Cement have long worked closely with Bull Bay in support of educational, environmental and employment programmes. This block machine is another approach to supporting the community’s development goals. Communities in Mexico and Colombia, by way of donations of machines by CEMEX’s help have sustainably maintained block making programmes. We hope this initiative will be equally effective in Bull Bay and commend the oversight group for their vision in implementing this project,” Mr Castro said.
Between 2016 and 2019 Carib Cement has invested more than $300 million in CSR across the country in keeping with its commitment to building a greater Jamaica.
A scholarship from the Caribbean Cement Company is awarded to hardworking students who make the grades. But every now and then, it is granted to students whose grades are not the best, but whose personal stories say otherwise.
Twenty deserving students from communities surrounding the company’s plant and quarries, particularly from communities located in Bull Bay, St. Andrew are among beneficiaries of the 2019 Carib Cement Scholarship programme. Among them are 16 secondary and four tertiary school students.
Included in the group are future medical practitioners, marine life researchers, engineers and software developers. With the support of their parents and community, they are determined to self-actualize, and are already on the path to doing so.
“I thought my dream of getting a university education was derailed when my Mom was made redundant from her job. My mom insisted that I should not give up and a took the opportunity to apply for the scholarship from Carib Cement. I was so relieved because I can say without it, it would not be possible for me to continue my education,” said Tajai Mcpherson who is a student of the All American Institute of Medical Sciences (AAIMS).
The company’s educational outreach initiatives have included a range of activities over the years such as: funding a homework programme within the Harbour View Community for schools in that area; covering the cost of a remedial Math and Reading programme for primary schools in East Kingston; assisting with infrastructural development and facilitating career talks and tours for schools within and outside of the immediate vicinity of the plant.
“Carib Cement has always expressed a genuine interest in building the community of Eleven Miles Bull Bay, through education, beautification, employment and over the years, the Company has recognized hardworking students who have a zeal for success and who are also in need of financial assistance. This generosity is much appreciated,” said 15 year-old Aleem Maitland of Camperdown High School
Since 2017 Carib Cement has awarded more than 70 scholarships to children from surrounding communities. Additionally, the company awards scholarships to top performers in some schools, children of employees and through the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica.
“We have a close relationship with the communities around our plant. Carib Cement team members have engaged with the parents and students over the decades and believe in the potential and the promise of the youth of this community. Because of this, we support parents in their efforts to keep their children focused and motivated to achieve academically,” said Klao Bell-Lewis, Head of Communication and Community Outreach at Carib Cement.
Caribbean Cement Company Limited is helping to pave the way to development in rural communities by a donation of concrete road to the community of Kraal located in the parish of Manchester.
Previously, Kraal had 300 metres of asphalted road which led to a narrow unpaved pathway this has changed. Carib Cement’s donation has brought 800 metres of concrete road to a community which has greater potential for farming and housing development.
The six-week project provided 70 men and women from the community with training and work experience in the correct methods of mixing concrete and in building a concrete road. Among those employed were some of the persons who participated in last year’s construction of 530 metres of concrete road in Litchfield. This brings the work completed in the neighbouring communities of Litchfield and Kraal to 1330 metres.
Speaking at a handing over ceremony held in the community on December 5, Yago Castro, General Manager of Carib Cement said Jamaicans deserve quality infrastructure.
“I am happy to know that the children of this community will grow up with memories of their rural community having a modern concrete road. Children, and indeed all Jamaicans have the right to the best quality infrastructure. I look forward to hearing the stories of how your lives and community will change because of this concrete road solution,” Mr Castro said.
Some 600 residents live in the immediate vicinity of Kraal, where there is a lot of land for farming and other uses. The neighbouring community of Litchfield has more than 200 hundred homes and 2000 residents living in the area.
The Honourable Audley Shaw, Member of Parliament of North East Manchester and Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries also participating in the handing over ceremony, encouraged the community to seize the opportunity made possible by the new road, to boost productivity.
“I know people intend to do more farming and others plan to build homes in the area. Use the access created by this road to increase productivity in the area. Also, encourage young people to find a productive path,” Minister Shaw said.
Completed at a cost of $10.8 million dollars, this development initiative is part of Carib Cement’s Corporate Responsibility Programme which, between 2016 and 2018 has invested $265 million in projects, scholarships and training and has reached more than 230,000 Jamaicans.
This donation supports Jamaica’s National 2030 Vision as well as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Number Two and Nine. Vision 2030 identifies ‘Strong Economic Infrastructure’ as key to improved productivity while SDG’s address rural development and infrastructural development as having a role in poverty reduction. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation in a 2017 Policy Brief: “…achieving the SDGs to end hunger and extreme poverty by 2030 will depend crucially on developing rural areas in the poorest nations of the world. More resources need to be allocated for investment in rural areas, not just because that is where most of the poor live, but also because these areas have great potential for economic development.”
Carib Cement has donated concrete roads to five rural communities since 2016.
(L-R) Avinash Calicharan, Project Manager; Andre Nelson, Industrial and Builders Manager; Yago Castro, General Manager; Klao Bell-Lewis, Communications and Community Outreach Manager; The Hon Audley Shaw, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries; Mr Leroy Mitchell, Councilor; Jerome Cowans, CSR Specialist.
Concrete road for rural development.
Caribbean Cement Company donates concrete road to Kraal, Manchester
On Moday, November 11 Caribbean Cement Company Limited (Carib Cement) successfully brought joy to the students and staff of the Constant Spring Primary and Junior High School with the official handover ceremony for a new playing field.
The facility consists of a 2000 square metre playfield as well as a 50-metre, four-lane concrete running track all enclosed by a modern chain-link fence designed to protect students from a nearby ravine. The project, which was funded by Carib Cement at a cost of just under $3 million.
Now the students and staff of Constant Spring Primary and Junior High are proud to have a safe space to call their own, that can accommodate all 630 students for events, training for competitive sports, and recreational play. The ability to freely play is considered as an essential part of healthy child development and has been recognised as a Right of the Child by the United Nations.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Carib Cement General Manager Mr. Yago Castro noted.
“Every child has the right to play and to be safe. Safety is our number one priority at Carib Cement and keeping children safe is the responsibility of adults. So, I am pleased that our company was able to create a better area for you to play, train for competitions and just have fun. We hope that you will be able to do well in school and that those who want to participate in athletics will be able to perform even better because you know have safe place to train. Who knows, maybe the next Usain Bolt or Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce will come from this school,” Mr Castro said.
Shay Dillon, Principal of the Constant Spring Primary and Junior High was particularly elated as he said the school will now be able to host its own Sports Day activities at the school. In the past, venues in surrounding areas were sought to accommodate physical education and Sports Day activities.