RUBIS, distributor of petroleum, aviation gas, and lubricants in Guyana, recently donated ten Hewlett-Packard 10 HP 15.6” laptops along with ten Mobile MiFi devices to the NGO National Coordinating Council (NCC) to assist with their Numeracy and Literacy for In School Youth programme.
A release from RUBIS said that the donation was part of the company’s response to support COVID-19 relief efforts and is the second contribution of educational devices to support online learning for students.
In response to the donation, Simone Sills, Executive Director, NCC commented, “The NGO National Coordinating Coalition Inc. (NCC) is heartened by the generosity and thoughtfulness of RUBIS in responding to an acute need. The quick response to the request for resources required to bridge the educational gap in responding to the challenge brought about by COVID-19 is most appreciated. The donation will provide students that attend NCC’s remedial classes with the ability to engage more readily in distance learning in a manner they couldn’t have previously.”
The donation is intended to support online learning, especially for those students who do not have access to devices or the internet. Sills explained that the students who will benefit are those who are technologically disadvantaged, and were already experiencing another disadvantage as they were performing below their grade level prior to the disruption. “The heavy expectation for students and parents alike to take a more active role initiating self-learning and monitoring progress has been a daunting task for those with limited resources and capabilities both in sourcing online materials and following scheduled classes with no access to personal computers or internet within the confines of their homes” Sills said.
Joylyn Johnson, RUBIS Retail Accounts Executive lauded the work of the organization. She said, “The NCC’s community outreach programmes are well known and they have been able to assist many in a very tangible way as we all seek to battle the impact COVID-19 has had on all of us especially our most vulnerable.”
In addition to the devices valued at over $1.2m, RUBIS also donated tablets to Diamond Primary School and made contributions in 2020 to Generation Next, the Ministry of Public Health, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the Civil Defence Commission to augment the costs associated with assisting frontline workers and vulnerable families in the community.
