PETERSFIELD, Westmoreland — There has been an outpouring of support for a couple in Bullet Tree who – despite their own struggles – opened up their home to children facing challenges with online learning.

As highlighted in a November 5 article in the Observer West last year, Camille Ebanks-Foster and her husband Garnett Foster started out by allowing one child to use their home WiFi. The numbers quickly grew, as did the level of support the Fosters provided. Their help ranged from allowing children to use their personal devices to access class material, to meals for those who needed them. All this was offered even though neither of the Fosters had a paying job. Today, they help 33 students whom they have placed on shifts to fit online lesson schedules and ensure social distancing requirements are met.

The Fosters are grateful for the help received from local and overseas donors who have provided meals, tablets, laptops, school bags, stationery supplies and cash donations.

Romeich Entertainment was the first to reach out, donating five tablets.

Jamaica Labour Party Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central George Wright recently donated a case of 48 notebooks along with 30 pencils.

The largest single donation to date came from Boblyn ‘Ranger’ Dobbs, who led a team of 22 family members and friends to provide 18 chromebooks and two tablets, school bags and stationery for the children, in addition to covering the cost of the Fosters’ Internet service for five months.

“As an educator, my purpose in life is to support and facilitate the transformation of lives, one mind at a time,” Dobbs told the Jamaica Observer. “So when I see a family such as the Fosters selflessly opening their home to students in the community so that they are able to have access to a device and Internet, when I see students of varied ages sitting at a table, sharing one device to access their online learning, I knew I had to assist in some way. I was inspired by their attitude of ‘nothing is going to stop my learning, not even COVID-19′. Because of this, my donors and I will serve as mentors for each student, with parents’ permission. We must care for each other as we would want to be cared for.”

Other donors such as Christopher Jones, Sheila Gordon, Diana Heywood as well as Talcia and Brian Palmer, have at different times provided warm meals for the children.

Stacey Riley, Denise Levine, Alton McKenzie, Rose Thomas, Andrea Dunn and Arnette Storer have contributed cash and tablets valued over $300,000.

“Some donors have not been mentioned as we could not list everyone, but I want everyone to know that they are truly appreciated; we couldn’t do this without you,” Ebanks-Foster told the Observer West.

She and her husband plan to host a fund-raiser to extend a section of their roof to provide better shelter for the children. Ebanks-Foster explained that when it rains the tarpaulin that is currently being used does not provide sufficient shelter.