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Extra help got Sylvana online during school closures

Sponsored students

01 September 2020

Sylvia took on the role as grandmother and mother when Sylvana was of very young age. It had been some time since Sylvia went to school and even then, there were no such thing as computers, and she learned to type on an old style typewriter. When COVID-19 hit, overnight Sylvia had to step into the role of teacher as well. Yet with no computer and limited internet, it was difficult to access Sylvana’s learning materials.

“All the instructions for the school work each day were sent out in an email from the teacher in the morning. I had to keep opening the email on my phone to read and understand it. And I had to write it all down, because I didn’t have a printer,” said Sylvia.

“I only had a mobile phone with 10GB of data. I didn’t have a computer. It wasn’t easy because the schooling was all on YouTube. I ran out of data so quickly that I couldn’t upload anything for Sylvana’s assignments or responses back to the teacher.”

Every sponsored student and their family is matched with a Learning for Life Coordinator. Our Learning for Life Coordinators, like Jenny, worked extra hard throughout the COVID-19 crisis to ensure students had the support they needed.

“Jenny called regularly to check how we were going and see how she could help. It was wonderful having someone who understood. Most of the other parents are in their 20s or 30s, so it’s very different for me,” said Sylvia.

When Jenny heard that Sylvana couldn’t access the school materials, she was able to provide her with a laptop that had been generously donated by a corporate partner.

“The look on Sylvana’s face was priceless when she opened the laptop. She was over the moon! Sylvana’s new laptop and all her schooling stuff was set up on the dining table and that’s where she did all her work," said Sylvia.

“There are so many children out here that need this help and support, and parents don’t want to ask because they feel it’s intimidating. It makes them feel inadequate, like I did.”

Sylvia is so grateful to Sylvana’s sponsor and the extended support of The Smith Family. It has been essential in helping Sylvana to participate fully in her schooling.

1 in 6 of the families we work with currently cannot access the digital tools that their children need for school. Your gift today can provide a child with the vital access to a computer, internet and digital skills, so they can keep up with their education and get the fair go all children deserve.

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