This Project was the 2020 annual regional student giving campaign dubbed ‘Footprints’ which seeks to foster ‘Pelican Pride’ and engenders the tradition of giving back to our Alma Mater. Here, the UWI STAT Corps raise money to donate to worthy causes on the campuses. Previous campaigns have seen the Corps contribute thousands of dollars to student bursaries.

An open need:

Students across the nation have several financial concerns and so it is always necessary to assist persons in getting the opportunities or medium to uplift themselves. It would be the case however, that during the giving campaign, the COVID-19 pandemic struck Jamaica.
Inevitably this campaign paused, but the viable need to find away to positively affect the students in this difficult time. The pandemic highlighted just how large the Digital divide is in Jamaica and therefore, the new issue arose of students being able to access and participate in their classes.

Impact

That year, The Executive Team led by Mr. Wedderburn, showcasing flexibility and vision, reorganized, and galvanize a team, along with the support of the Alumni Association Jamaica Chapter (UWIAA), to redirect their collection into providing technical assistance to all students in need of devices and/or Wi-Fi access. Via corporate partnerships negotiated by the UWIAA, the joint effort was able to directly order mobile data plans from the telecommunications companies for the student population , and began the search for a laptop rental programme. Through the collaboration, approximately 120 students would have benefited and attained online access.