Catholic primary schools to benefit in Day of Caring

Published by CN Admin at March 16, 2026

Tags

By Lara Pickford-Gordon

Fourteen Catholic primary schools are among the recipients who will benefit from 57 projects proposed for action in United Way Trinidad and Tobago’s (UWTT) 2026 Day of Caring on April 26.

They are: Nelson Street Boys’ RC; St David’s RC; St Mary’s Mucurapo Boys’; St Mary’s Mucurapo Girls’; Barataria Boys; (St Dominic Savio); San Raphael RC; Bourg Mulatresse RC; Carapo RC; Caratal RC; Chaguanas RC; Gran Couva RC; Maraval RC; Newtown Boys’ RC (St Patrick’s); and San Juan Girls’ RC. Two RC community residences are also listed: Joshua Home for boys and Goshen House, which are managed by the Eternal Light Community.

The 16^th Day of Caring was launched at Bethany Chambers, Pembroke Street, Port of Spain on March 6. Chief Executive Officer of United Way Gail Sooknarine said UWTT has been operating in Trinidad and Tobago for 25 years and connected “people who care to communities in need for collective action”. The Day of Caring is the largest volunteer event hosted by UWTT. “For last year, we had about 41 projects completed with over 1,500 volunteers, impacting over 11,000 individuals,” she said.

Sooknarine thanked corporate partners for supporting past projects and said United Way looked forward to a bigger presence on the 2026 day of caring with 57 project proposals received. She said, “For anybody who is interested in joining, so anybody who is interested and coming on board, we encourage you to join with us in our volunteer project to make Trinidad and Tobago a better place for living.”

In an interview with The Catholic News she said UWTT worked within general priority areas of education, healthy communities, financial stability, and resilience. Many projects take place at primary schools, community residences, and communities.

Providing insights into the type of projects implemented, Sooknarine said: “The projects could consist of a kitchen garden at a school, improving a play area or library spaces in the classroom or sometimes it’s painting both inside and outside of the school, maybe putting some benches and chairs so the children could sit outside but generally making the space more conducive to learning to young children.”

Sooknarine said there was a small drop in numbers volunteering post-Covid-19 which she linked to weather conditions. The Day of Caring usually took place on the third Sunday in May, but Sooknarine said for the past two years the days were rainy and most projects take place outdoors. She added: “This year, we decided that we would bring it forward a little bit, April 26 and hopefully, with sunshine, we could have a lot more projects taking place on that day.”

Chairman of UWTT Ian Benjamin noted that 16 years of United Way’s Day of Caring is a sign of success and occasion to celebrate caring, giving and volunteering. It was a celebration of being a catalyst for “all of Trinidad and Tobago who think that talking is not sufficient, doing is more important.”

Mentioning the 57 projects to be undertaken in 2026, Benjamin said he was a little concerned but suggested the number could go to 60. “That is a round number, but that kind of challenge, that kind of problem is a good problem,” he stated.

Benjamin said many projects provide opportunities for people to work together to make the country a better place. Although the focus of projects is young people, another benefit is they were intergenerational. “We get to show our younger people what it means to be a true citizen of this great republic of ours,” Benjamin said. In attendance at the launch was UWTT patron Zalayhar Hassanali and a representative of one corporate supporter.

UWTT is inviting the public to participate in volunteer activities for the Day of Caring and use the hashtag #UnitedIsTheWay.