'It's great knowing that I can give back'

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann:

AFTER SPENDING 40 years in England before returning home in 2003, one would think that Carrol James would be satisfied to come home to retire and just relax in her Jamaican paradise.

But no, that's not her. She has to keep busy. It's in her blood, it seems.

Since returning to Jamaica, James has been involved in several activities, including doing work with her church, the Salem Baptist in Runaway Bay, and the PATH breakfast programme, where she assists with providing breakfast for students from various schools who are on the programme.

Over the past few years, James has added another voluntary task to her portfolio: that of helping to teach senior citizens how to use the computer, in her role as assistant to Fitzroy Campbell, who is in charge of the St Ann Parish Library's computer programme for senior citizens.

The programme, which is offered free of cost, is currently under way for yet another year at the library. It's a programme that James herself completed a few years ago.

"I started the computer class in 2008 because I thought I needed to learn to use the computer," she told Rural Xpress last week, minutes after finishing another morning session with the group of nearly 20 participants.

"When I started, I had no knowledge [of how to use the computer] whatsoever. I was a complete novice and it was a bit testing at times," she admitted.

But she stuck with it and graduated seven months later.

"I learnt everything from the basics, and now I can manage on the computer, the Internet, Facebook; I can do most things," she said proudly, "but I'm still learning. Even though I'm here helping, I'm still learning."

Asked why she decided to return to the programme to help others, a position she assumed immediately after completing her course, James had a simple answer: "Because someone taught me, and I thought it would be good if I gave my service back to help others that need to learn."

And to her, the experience of giving back two days per week has been wonderful.

"Oh, it's been great! It's been great knowing that I can give something back. I look forward to it every Wednesday and every Thursday," James said.

She has committed to offer her service as long as she can manage and as long as they need her.

In leaving, she disclosed her plans for the following day: "Tomorrow morning, it's my turn to cook breakfast and to go and serve the kids at the school. So after I feed the kids, then I come to the computer class. So I don't just sit at home. I'm all over the place."

rural@gleanerjm.com