CWCF celebrates 5 years of commitment to the region
THE Cable and Wireless Charitable Foundation (CWCF) is celebrating five years of partnership with local, regional, and international agencies having spent some US$3.5 million in donations providing digital access and supporting relief and recovery initiatives throughout the Caribbean.
Commenting on the milestone, Inge Smidts, chair of the CWCF Board, said that “The foundation was established out of a response to natural disasters in 2017 and has since evolved from reacting to natural disasters, like hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Dorian, into a philanthropic organisation that’s proactively expanding access, providing connectivity, and enhancing education for people we serve across the region”.
Cementing this shift in focus, the foundation also marked its five-year anniversary with the successful completion of a pilot programme in Jamaica focused on digital education for individuals aged 16-60 years old. Under this programme, more than 2,000 Jamaicans successfully completed basic digital literacy training with more than 830 going on to graduate with a certificate in digital and data literacy.
Another 3,875 Jamaicans also attained certification in various professional courses. Both programmes were funded by the CWCF and executed in collaboration with the Flow Foundation and its partners — the Mona School of Business and Management at The University of the West Indies for the digital and data literacy element; and One on One Educational Services for the digital training and professional certification element.
“We take tremendous pride in the evolution of the foundation and the opportunity to continue to serve the communities in which we live and work. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022 saw the return of our popular Spring Golf Classic, raising US$450,000 to fund grants for digital devices, online access, and learning tools for schools and community organisations across the region.”
To help fund future initiatives, the CWCF invited scores of its partners and suppliers to participate in a recent Racing Experience in Miami, Florida.
