With a vision of improving literary skills for students at Haile Selassie High School, Jamaican reggae singer Jesse Royal, and the Digicel Foundation joined forces to fund a J$1.5 million renovation of its reading room.

The school has been rallying local and international artistes like Jesse Royal to raise funds to renovate the existing room. Built on lands donated by His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I in the 1960s, the school has recently fallen into disrepair due to a lack of funding.

Jesse Royal, a Digicel brand ambassador, reached out to the foundation through its Build Jamaica grant programme to assist.

The modernised literary room boasts a vibrant red, green, and gold design that stirs the creativity and imagination of students. It includes a computer station, smart board and flexible workstations for them to work and learn in comfort.

Upon visiting the school and touring the newly refurbished space, the Natty Pablo singer commented, “As a Rasta, it’s important that we do the real work – getting on the ground and doing the things that are necessary. We can’t just pick the fruits and not water the roots, which are the youths.”

“The children need some inspiration. We deh yah fi remind them that we care about them; they’re valued and important to the society. We’ll do what we can to prep them to be the best citizens they can be,” he continued.

Reiterating the Foundation’s mantra of helping to create a world where no one gets left behind, Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams, Community Development Manager at the Digicel Foundation said, “It’s an ‘upful’ vibration giving back to the historical Haile Selassie High. The school was a royal gift from His Imperial Majesty to promote education in the diaspora and now we’re keeping that legacy alive by taking the building into the future for today’s youths, so that no youngster gets left behind”

Since the onset of the pandemic, Digicel Foundation has increased its investment in community development and education, totaling over J$150 million.

This includes distribution of over 1,750 tablets to aid in distance learning, data plans, and community enterprise projects.