Closing the digital divide

At the end of 2020 we reached out to our supporters and community to ask for donations of old laptops and tablets that we could refurbish and loan to our Jacari families.

Over 30% of our Jacari pupils didn’t have access to a device at home and this was having a devastating impact during Covid-19 lockdowns and school closures. It meant that they couldn’t access online lessons and resources for home-schooling, leaving them at risk of falling behind their peers. We were extremely concerned about this as evidence was also coming out of a widening educational attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers as a result of the pandemic.

We asked and you delivered!

We have so far received over 20 donated laptops and tablets. In addition, Oxford PharmaGenesis, whose Managing Director is Jacari alumnus Chris Winchester, have offered to donate 5 laptops a month. We’ve had support from DigiLocal in Bristol and a local volunteer in Oxford to get the devices refurbished and set up ready to be loaned to Jacari families.

Thanks to your generosity, all the pupils who are currently receiving tuition from Jacari volunteers have access to a laptop or tablet at home which they can use for homework as well as their weekly online sessions with their Jacari tutor.

A teacher at one of our partner schools told us the impact this had on one pupil: “Her mother has been in touch to say they are so grateful for the teaching and for loaning a laptop, it has helped the family immensely and she is really enjoying her lessons!”