Working in collaboration with Teens 4 Technology, the CWJF has spent more than $8.7 million on its “Computers For Schools” programme, which was launched in December 2006.  Under this initiative, 63 mainly primary and all age schools have received 10 computers each and free high-speed Internet access, subject to availability.  A further 45 institutions will receive similar allocations within the next four months.

Among the benefiting schools is Albert Town Primary where the majority of the 600 students enrolled had little or no exposure to computers prior to the CWJF’s intervention.  “Just a small number of our students were able to use computers before we set up our lab,” says Dorothy Murray, the School’s Principal. 

She adds, “Now that we have our computer programme going, it is really enhancing learning because the students are so excited you can literally see it.  They work hard at their computer lessons because they’re very motivated.”

Bevon Ferguson, Principal of Alps Primary School describes a similar situation. “We had  a few computers at our school before but not for the students to use so getting those 10 computers has been a very positive thing,” he said.

“The students are excited but more importantly they’re becoming computer literate which is very important for their future,” Mr. Ferguson added.

At the community level, the CWJF has set up nine fully sponsored “Cyber Centres” covering the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine, St. James and St. Mary.  Equipped with 10 computers each and high-speed Internet access, the “Cyber Centres” are filling an important void for the citizens in the communities they serve who were previously among the most underserved with regard to Information Technology.

Last year, two new facilities came on stream – one at the Bethel United Church in St. Mary and the other at the Truth Tabernacle Church in St. Catherine – bringing affordable internet access to several communities in those parishes.

“It is very rare to have something like our “CyberCentre” in this part of the country,” Reverend Leo Hall, Minister of the Bethel United Church said.  “Before our “CyberCentre” opened, there was one Internet café that people had to pay a lot of money to use.  But when they come to our facility, they can have Internet access at no cost.” 

Similarly, Reverend Dale Rankin of the Truth Tabernacle Church said, “There are people in our community who do not know what a computer looks like or how to turn one on so we are using our computer lab to help people who would not normally have exposure to computers or the Internet to become familiar with the technology and develop some basic skills.”

Beyond providing equipment and software, the CWJF has also sponsored several IT related workshops and training seminars as well as social outreach programmes structured around ICT education including the Ministry of Health’s  “Learning for Life” programme, which provides computer-based literacy training for young men in violence-prone inner-city communities.