St Helena ECCE centre reopens after flooding

PETROCHEMICAL producers, Proman, recently teamed with the staff and children of the St Helena Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centre to undertake renovation work to repair damage caused by last year’s severe floods.

At a re-launch ceremony recently, the centre’s 50 children performed and read poetry.

There was also a tree-planting and ribbon-cutting ceremony by Proman Group’s Claus Cronberger and the centre’s head teacher Linda Marajh.

This renovation project was completed by the Proman Community Action Group, formed of skilled volunteers from across the group’s subsidiaries in Trinidad. The month-long rebuild was project managed by Industrial Plant Services Limited (IPSL), which operates all 14 of the group’s petrochemical plants in the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, and executed by Proman AG (Trinidad) Ltd, Proman Group’s construction and project delivery subsidiary in Trinidad.

During IPSL’s initial site visits in early November, it found that the centre and its surrounding were severely damaged after being inundated with more than three feet of water.

Proman’s volunteers developed an immediate plan to address the unsanitary and unsafe conditions, and worked with the centre’s staff for over two weeks to clean up debris, re-paint walls and furniture, procure new teaching materials, and reinstate tables, kitchen appliances and shelving.

Following this initial urgent work, the opportunity was also taken to uplift the facilities and infrastructure of the centre and its surroundings.

The company’s volunteers also did extensive work to improve poor drainage around the centre, as well as overhauling the bathroom facilities, installing new toilets tailored to the young students, and installing a brand new ceiling for the whole building.

Cronberger, chief executive of Process Energy (PETL) and a member of the board of Proman Holdings, said, “I am delighted to see the completion of these restoration efforts. This Early Childhood Care & Education Centre plays an important role in St Helena, providing a much-needed space for children of all backgrounds to learn and develop.

“Projects like this create real and lasting benefit to local children and families, and embody the Proman Group’s long-term commitment to our people and communities. I especially want to thank the teams at IPSL and Proman Trinidad, as well as the staff at St. Helena, for their exceptional efforts in completing the restorations and returning the Centre to its full potential.”

Marajh said because of the work done by Proman’s volunteers, the centre was transformed and was now a safer and healthier place for children.

She also thanked staff, SERVOL, and teachers from other centres for helping with the clean-up in the days immediately after the flooding, as well as parents for their patience and support.

In October, the Proman Group donated $1million to assist relief efforts after the floods. The money, channeled through the Living Water Community, provided emergency flood relief and will support the long-term rebuilding of homes and communities.

This year, Proman began a $8.1million group-wide partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, which will see investments in a range of home building, disaster resilience and emergency response projects across TT, as well as in Europe and the United States.