Children in State care will now be able to access more educational material as a result of telecommunications firm FLOW Jamaica, through a partnership with the Jamaica Observer, donating $200,000 to the Child Development Agency (CDA).

For every

Daily Observer sold on Tuesday, FLOW donated $4 to the CDA to purchase items for State homes across the island.When the

Observer team arrived at the Hope Botanical Gardens in Kingston on Tuesday, where the presentation was made, wards of the State — some as young as three years old — were observed anxiously awaiting the start of the event.Some jumped, ran and skipped, as they could barely contain their excitement while they waited to tour the Hope Zoo, be feted and read stories as part of activities for ‘Read Across Jamaica Day’.Approximately 60 children from childcare facilities in Kingston and St Andrew were grouped on blankets under trees while FLOW employees read to them.According to the telecoms giant’s Public Relations Manager Danielle Savoury, the company’s employees from its Kingston and Montego Bay offices also visited State care facilities and read to the children.Meanwhile, Rochelle Dixon, public relations manager at CDA, lauded the companies for the initiative, which she said will develop the nation’s children.“The CDA is extremely pleased with the partnership between FLOW and the

Jamaica Observer. I think it is an awesome initiative, having thought about making the donation of selling papers. Read Across Jamaica is very important to us, it is even more heart-warming for us due to the fact that our children from our facilities were selected to be here at Hope Zoo,” Dixon said, adding that the children were given the opportunity to read and see the animals.Dixon, who was quick to point out that the majority of the homes are in need of a library or a book area, said the CDA would select a home, install some shelves, and purchase books.“The children love to read and our caregivers who are in the homes really engage the children in reading and ensure that they are academically savvy, and we want to continue that,” she said.Like Dixon, minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Information Floyd Green commended both companies for the initiative.“What I love about today was the initiative FLOW took in partnership with the

Jamaica Observer. I think it was a wonderful way of combining the public-private partnership, so you would have seen that they encouraged people to purchase the

Observer to read for Read Across Jamaica Day,” Green said, adding that the Government is working to develop more programmes in childcare facilities so that children who come in contact with the homes are effectively engaged.Green, who also participated in the reading activities, said there is always a resource issue and that the FLOW/Observer initiative is a creative way to bridge the gap.Colleen Lindsay-Banks, a caregiver at Homestead Place of Safety, was also equally pleased.“I think the initiative is a good idea. I hope that more companies will get jealous and come on board and do more than what

Jamaica Observer and FLOW are doing for the children — not just reading from a book, but they can donate books,” Lindsay-Banks told the

Observer.Gaye Robertson, who is also a caregiver at Homestead Place of Safety, shared similar sentiments.“I appreciate it — the fact that FLOW and

Observer took the time out to recognise the children that are in State care, to socialise with them, to make them feel apart of them. Every child was attended to in one way or the other. The children appreciate it. They enjoyed themselves, the food, and the gift that they received,” Robertson said, adding that the children were also given the opportunity to socialise with their siblings who are housed at other homes.One of the children in State care, who was beaming at the end of the activities, said: “It was fun. I read a lot and I love to read, but my favourite experience was when the lioness was awakened. Every time I visit the zoo she is always sleeping.”