THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), on Tuesday, donated six Blu G70 smartphones, SIMs and $1,000 Top Up on each phone to the Future Economic Development Strategy Cooperative Society Limited (FEDS). According to a release, FEDS is a multi-purpose co-op society that serves the community of Region 10 by providing self-employment opportunities as well as assisting the Linden community in a number of ways. The outfitted handsets will go towards aiding selected students in the Linden community who have difficulties accessing their schoolwork online. GTT’s Linden Retail Manager, Avril Bacchus, who handed over the donation, said the company was pleased to maintain its ‘Together We Rise’ support to those who need it most during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We recognise the importance of access to education and the company has done a lot to support students across Guyana. Our support does not end here, and we look forward to further strengthening our community in the areas we serve and beyond,” Bacchus said.

Secretary to the FEDS, Clyde Fowler, thanked GTT for the contribution towards its priority project of supplying electronic devices to students in need in the Linden community. “We observed that many youths in the community have difficulties in accessing their schoolwork via the social platforms. While many may have access to the websites for free, some do not have the necessary devices to connect, so we are grateful for this contribution by GTT,” Fowler said. In October 2020, GTT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Education Ministry to zero-rate several educational websites in support of online learning in Guyana. By zero-rating the websites, students have been able and continue to be able to browse and learn without a data plan. The company has also made a number of SIM and data donations to several schools across Guyana.