The District Grand Lodge of Trinidad and Tobago’s English Constitution yesterday donated tablet devices to the St James/Carenage Police Youth Club.
Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, many students have been unable to attend virtual school classes because they do have access to online devices.
The District Grand Lodge started the process of the distribution 30 tablets with a donation of the first three yesterday.
“We are quite happy and proud to be able to assist St James Youth Club with this presentation of three tablets for the enhancement of the learning process for the younger members of the club,” District Grand Almoner David Lumsden said.
“Over the last four years the District Grand Lodge of Trinidad and Tobago in charities has donated close to over 400 thousand and this effort this afternoon is just another one of our efforts to ensure that we serve our communities and try to save as of our youth by helping out with these devices.”
Founder/Manager of St James/Carenage Police Youth Club Derrick Sharbodie was happy with the donation.
“There is a saying that the future lies in the book bag, well I am seeing now that the future now lies in the laptop, tablet and other devices, it is only because we are disrupted by this unfortunate disease but this disruption can be both negative and positive, and we are only grateful that homes are now transformed to classrooms where parents can supervise and assist community policing and playing a fundamental role.”
He said the youth club has 184 young people and appealed to the wider public to come forward and assist to ensure the children are not left behind.
St James/Carenage Police Youth Club PRO Pastor Clive Dottin added, “We deal with prevention, we deal with rehabilitation, we deal with both. We deal with endangered youth and youth who are already in danger and we deal with young people who are on the brink of being endangered, we have young people in this club who may not have had a future because of this club.”
Youth club member Emmanuel Hosein said some children have been really struggling as some of their parents have been laid off from jobs since the pandemic hit.
“It is really good to know that there are people out there that are willing to support us and donate these kind things to us. It can really aid in helping many of us access our education in this time,” Hosein said.
