STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE “GRATEFUL, THANKFUL AND HAPPY”
Students across several communities in Kingston & St Andrew - Drewsland, Franklyn Town, Torrington Park, Whitfield Town and Standpipe among others – are sharing their messages of joy, appreciation and gratitude after receiving a Samsung A1 Tablet pre-loaded with a 25GB data plan courtesy of a recent joint initiative of Sheldon Millington, an Ambassador of the Governor General’s I Believe Initiative, and the Flow Foundation.
Helena Cowie and her grand-daughter, 7-year old Tyra Muir who attends St George’s Preparatory School both expressed their joy upon receiving the tablet. Cowie, who has sole responsibility for her grand-daughter, shared, “I am so grateful that Tyra has gotten this tablet. The new school year is coming and I have so many other things to buy – books, uniform and I just did not have the money to get her a tablet. I have been asking everyone for help so when I heard that she was selected to get a tablet, I was so glad because it is one less thing to worry about.” She further shared that it is a blessing as her grand-daughter is much quieter now that she has the tablet to keep her focussed.
Tyra, whose favourite subject is Mathematics, said, “I am very happy to have a tablet. I would prefer to see my teacher and friends face to face but at least I will be able to see them now when I go online. I thank Mr Millington and Flow Foundation.”
Similar sentiments were shared by 15 year-old Rashea Davis who attends Randolph Lopez School of Hope. “I was overjoyed and could hardly wait to get my tablet. I asked my mother every day when I was going to get it. I am taking good care of my tablet because I don’t want anything to happen to it,” she said. Her mother, Sharline Dias, offered her own appreciation to both Sheldon Millington and the Flow Foundation saying simply, “I am grateful, thankful and happy.”
Words were simply not possible for young Aqualah Clahar who expressed her joy by jumping in the air. “I was so happy I could not say anything! I was just laughing! I am going to take good care of my tablet and do well in school so that I can take care of my Mommy when she grows old,” she eventually shared.
Her mother, Tracyann Taylor confided, “It has been really challenging with four children vying to use my one phone. Sometimes they can’t all be on when they have classes at the same time. In fact, I have lost 2 phones because the children have been using them. I am feeling so good and appreciative. This tablet is really a blessing.”
Millington, who also partnered with the Tourism Enhancement Fund, used the occasion to celebrate his 39th birthday, shared that he has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude he has been receiving since handing out the devices. “There is such a joy in my heart. I am so grateful that I was able to make my dream come true and this is just the beginning. There is so much more that I hope to achieve through my non-profit organization – House of SDM. There is immense satisfaction in knowing that I was able to make a difference in these children lives,” he said.
Courtney Bell, Community Programmes Coordinator at the Flow Foundation, who was present for the handovers said, “Seeing the joy on these children’s faces is our reason for being. Knowing that we have touched a life and made a difference in some small way, helps us to get through each day especially since the pandemic has significantly reduced our face-to-face contact. Our children really are our future and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to help them to succeed.”
The Flow Foundation is committed to using technology to transform lives and empower youth. The Tablet Distribution Partnership Initiative is one of the many ways in which it is working to bridge the digital divide. Since the start of the year, the Foundation’s tablet partnerships have resulted in the donation of tablets and/or data to over 300 students across the country.
