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Sandals, Marley foundations unite to help Women's Centre

Published:Sunday | June 19, 2016 | 12:00 AM
Contributed
Dr Zoe Simpson (fourth right), executive director of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica (WCJ), tests one of the 20 new computers donated by the Sandals Foundation and Bob Marley Foundation to assist with the centre’s Virtual Delivery Infrastructure Programme for teenage mothers. Joining her are (from left) Karen Zacca, projects coordinator, Sandal Foundation; Heidi Clarke, director of programmes, Sandals Foundation; Alison McLean, permanent secretary, Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports; Michele Fearron, director, field operations, Women’s Centre of Jamaica; Marie Bruce, general manager, Bob Marley Group of Companies; Mitzie Williams, communications and projects manager, Bob Marley Foundation; and Alicia Williams, manager.

On June 10, two of the Caribbean's most renowned brands, the Sandals and the Bob Marley foundations, handed over 20 computers to the Women's Centre of Jamaica (WCJ) to assist with the new modality of delivery of the CSEC programme.

Executive director of the WCJ, Dr Zoe Simpson, said she was ecstatic to receive the computers equipped with software, as they have struggled in some centres with as much as eight teenagers using one computer during class. The Virtual Delivery Infrastructure Programme at the WCJ, started in September 2015, offers distance learning through its seven centres and 12 outreach sites across the island. Dr Simpson highlighted how difficult it was before the initiation of the programme for the young mothers to travel to Kingston from all over the island for classes.

The donation of the computers was another project under the Women Helping Others Achieve (WHOA) programme that was launched in February 2016. Director of programmes at Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, highlighted that the WHOA programme seeks to address several areas of need for women across the Caribbean.