Thousands of Jamaicans are being empowered through various initiatives and partnerships courtesy of the Flow Foundation as it continues to enable the progress of Jamaicans through its Digital Education Programme and increased connectivity to communities and schools.

As the country continues to grapple with the effects of the ongoing pandemic, hundreds of students, educators and schools have struggled with the need for increased connectivity and devices to facilitate online learning and teaching.  Through several strategic partnerships, the Flow Foundation has supported the education sector through increased connectivity and the donation of tablets and/or data.

Sheldon Millington, Founder of House of SDM, who partnered with the Foundation earlier in the year said, “It has been several months since I partnered with the Flow Foundation and my joy is as strong today as it was then.  Children who were beneficiaries of the initiative continue to share their gratitude as they have been able to do their schoolwork since getting the tablets and data plans.  Education is the best gift you can give any child.”

Galina Primary & Infant School in St Mary is one of several schools that benefitted from increased connectivity.  In expressing her appreciation for the school’s fibre-fast Internet service, Dahlia Thompson, Principal, said: “Internet access is critical to the success of any school administration.   There are not enough words to share our gratitude.  Since the upgrade some months ago, we have been able to improve our online teaching engagement. The teachers are equipped with the resource to efficiently do their jobs and the students are just overjoyed at having Internet access.  My heartfelt thanks to you.”

Adults have also been equipped to meet the demands of a digitally transformed work environment through the Foundation’s Digital Education Programme. This programme includes the Skills for the Future Programme – a data and digital literacy curriculum offered through its partner, Caribbean School of Data at the Mona School of Business and Management; Training for Professionals – an online certification in professional courses administered through One-on-One Educational Services and The Hive (a platform connecting employers and freelancers) in partnership with Ingenuity Technologies.  All programmes are free of cost to anyone wishing to participate.

Alicia Richards, a graduate of the Skills for the Future Programme, shared, “Being a part of this programme was one of the best decisions I ever made.  I learnt more than I thought possible.  In fact, it was so impactful that I am planning to engage the Foundation so that we can explore using the programme to empower members of the cricket fraternity.”

Similar sentiments were shared by Toni McLeary in the Training for Professionals Programme.  “I am a young entrepreneur so upskilling myself is very important.  This programme is a blessing for me because it is free, it is online and I can work at my own convenience.  In fact, being able to pursue as many courses as I like in several different professional areas is a big plus for me,” McLeary shared.

In reflecting on the Foundation’s 2021 activities, Kayon Mitchell, Executive Director of the Flow Foundation, said, “As the year draws to a close, our team has been reflecting on what we’ve accomplished over the past 12 months.  We have over 8,000 Jamaicans enrolled in our digital education programmes and over 15,000 in The Hive.  We’ve upgraded the speeds at over 250 schools, distributed hundreds of tablets and increased community connectivity via community centres and schools. We are both proud of the work that we’ve done and humbled by the overwhelming response to our programmes.  Being able to support and empower Jamaicans is at the heart of what we do at our Flow Foundation.  It is particularly rewarding that we have been able to touch the lives of so many.  From the young to senior citizens to physically challenged, employed and unemployed – no one is being left behind.”

Mitchell continued, “We are looking forward to 2022 and stand ready to continue supporting each and every Jamaican by enabling their progress through digital inclusion, bridging the digital divide and equipping them with the skills to take advantage of the opportunities that are available through our rapidly growing digital economy.”