MALIKAI ALLWOOD: EMBRACING RESILIENCE AMIDST DIFFICULTY
18-year-old Malikai Allwood, founder of Exam Relief Aid which provides support free of cost to students studying for the CSEC/CAPE exams, recently suffered a setback when his laptop crashed. However, all was not lost for the young visionary as Flow Foundation stepped in to gift him with a new Dell Chromebook.
Malikai’s journey began in 2020 with his then ‘Each One Teach One’ project which provided support for his peers at Kingston College, and a few other high schools, who were preparing to sit the CSEC exams. Under that initial initiative he impacted 100 students. Speaking to the start of the journey, Malikai confided, “Although we may not say it, we have problems studying by ourselves. We learn much more when we study together.”
Based on his success in 2020, Malakai, who has a “passion for helping”, expanded his programme for 2021 to provide support for CAPE students. The initiative which was then rebranded ‘Exam Relief Aid’ under the theme ‘Embracing Resilience Amidst Adversity or Difficulty’. Joining with 12 of his friends, the students provided support to over 3,000 students while studying for their own exams.
In presenting the laptop to Malikai, Dwight K. Williams, Flow’s Commercial Director (Mobile) said, “When the Foundation approached me about donating a laptop to this young man, I had to support the work that he’s doing. He represents the values and strength of character that we want to see in more of our young people. The willingness to donate his personal time is exemplary. Kindness and goodness freely given always comes back. I encourage him and his friends to keep up the good work. They will succeed in life.”
Allwood shared that he was motivated by the values instilled by his parents who impressed upon him the need to work hard while being generous and empathic. “When I got the call from the Flow Foundation about giving me a laptop, I felt ecstatic and honored. I was happy. Because of their generosity, I will be able to continue offering positive support and bringing about meaningful change.” He continued, “I believe that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, is entitled to an education. Education helps us to elevate ourselves in society, fosters critical thinking and is vital for nation building and innovation.”
He also expressed his feelings of fulfillment, purpose and exhilaration when they were able to help students not just in Jamaica but from across the region – Trinidad, Guyana, Barbados, Anguilla to name a few.
Some of those students shared their experiences:
Xavier, Guyana: “For me, the sessions were beneficial in terms of the explanations which were supported by videos and audio visuals. This really helped me to understand the concepts.”
Marlon, St Martin: “The classes really helped me with formatting my answers to exam questions so that I could get maximum points.”
Chrisla, Jamaica: “Since the pandemic, it has been hard to grasp everything through the online channels for remote learning. Then my good friend, Malikai, introduced me to The Exam Relief Aid Initiative. It has been a great help to me and other students across the Caribbean. The sessions were very effective, students cooperated while learning and the host was always joyful. This initiative is one that I will be a part of next year!”
In addition to supporting Malikai, the Foundation is also helping his mother who has registered in its Skills for the Future Programme where she will have the opportunity to improve her computer skills and data literacy.
The Flow Foundation is committed to enabling progress through digital inclusion and has engaged in several private-public partnerships under which they have provided devices to students. Since the start of the year, the organization has donated over 250 tablets to students across the island through these partnerships. The Foundation is also providing free high-speed internet service to over 250 schools.
