Literacy Jamaica - Expanding Lives Beyond Their Realities

My reality as a child was a see-saw of events.  I grew up in an inner-city in Jamaica. There were good, bad and ugly days. I saw girls and boys my age throwing away a future they never knew they had. If it wasn't for my family and books, I probably would have done the same. I remember when things got really rough, a book took me somewhere else. In some ways, it protected me. Reading and writing became fundamental parts of my life. Being literate expanded my life far beyond my reality at that time. I was able to still dream even when everything looked so bleak. I was able to see a future that couldn't be shot by a bullet.

I wish I could say that I actually attended university. I was unable to afford it. I ceased traditional schooling at the sixth form where I earned an associate's degree. Yet the school of life has taught me so much. I am constantly learning and teaching myself new things. I wouldn't be the same without these skills. I wouldn't have garnered all the experiences or acquired local and international opportunities.

 My passion for reading and writing took me into authorship. I've published several children's books. A few years ago, I decided to do my own book tour called " The Irie School Tour". Throughout the years, I visit schools, read my books to children and talk to them about my journey. In May of 2017, I met a mother at one of my readings. She told me she couldn't read and her daughter couldn't read well. She needed help. I knew something needed to be done. That month Literacy JA was born. 

Literacy JA started off as a WhatsApp group where I provided free assistance to those who needed help with reading and writing. It has since expanded beyond that with the volunteers that came on board. We soon realized that much more needs to be done. Illiteracy is one of the world's root issues. It has been reported that UNESCO has found a link between illiteracy and poverty, low life expectancy and political oppression. If Jamaica is 100% literate or comes close to that then that would be a platform for a better Jamaica.

With that said, my hope is to take Literacy JA a bit further by infusing technology with literacy. The next step for Literacy JA would be an app. so that we can expand our reach across Jamaica. This app will utilize gamification and our mother tongue, The Jamaican Creole to teach English. We hope to begin in central Kingston, starting with schools in the inner-city.

The app will carry several modules such as grammar, pronunciation, comprehension and storytelling. We’ll also have teachers assisting with a live chat.

Through this app and social platforms, we’ll have a feature called “Our Stories” where Jamaicans (with similar backgrounds and experiences) share their success stories. I would implement this aspect due to my own experience with the school visits. Children were more receptive to people they could relate to. They rather listen to someone who walked in their shoes, who overcame their struggle…who made something of their lives despite the odds.

There was one particular volunteer who came from a very violent childhood. The children at one of the schools we visited resonated with his story the most. A few children who were uninterested in reading prior to our school visit wanted us to read more to them. The teacher reported after our visit those same children showed more interest in their English classes. That’s the power of sharing our stories.

Earning a Toptal scholarship would greatly assist in making the next step of Literacy JA possible. I will be able to afford the tools necessary to have the app created as well as mobilize my team. A Toptal scholarship will also inspire fruitful partnerships locally and internationally. We hope to partner with companies in the telecommunications field to help us get more smart-phones for households that can’t afford it. We aim to get more teachers and parents involved. There’s nothing that’s impossible when people unite for a cause. Together, we can help more children rewrite their narratives through building a bridge from misery to hope.

I don’t plan to stop there. My aim is to learn app development myself so I can use this information to assist me with running the app. I know the app will keep evolving. We want to also assist adults. Our dream is a 100% literate Jamaica. From there, we’ll expand to the Caribbean and third world countries. I want to be prepared for that. I hope to be paired with a Toptal mentor who has a background in software development so I can learn firsthand from this person. I would love if this mentor also has experience in community development. Whatever I learn from this mentor will be passed on to my team so that we can all grow together.

From I was a little girl growing up in the inner-city, a fire burned deep inside me. I didn't understand it at first. I always wanted to do good. I wanted not just a better Jamaica but a better world. Since my teenage years, I've been heavily involved in volunteering. I encouraged a few of my family members to walk with me as I gave out questionnaires in a community we relocated to. I felt like there wasn't anything for young people there. So, I started a youth club. That commenced my life of leadership and I never stopped since.

Our children are our greatest gifts but unfortunately, many of them are experiencing the harshest realities. This Toptal scholarship will help us in showing our children that their today is not their tomorrow. I truly believe literacy and sharing our stories can inspire many more leaders. I can’t to see that Jamaica and world.