Smart helps kids with back to school gifts

Countrywide, kids are saying goodbye to the blissful memories of summer and sun and they are now returning to classrooms.  At the start of the new school year many parents are struggling to afford the cost of books, uniforms and other supplies. Smart has undertaken an imitative to ease the burden for some parents by donating school supplies to four Belize City Schools. This morning representatives from SMART handed over the first set of schoolbags and stationary today at the Central Christian School on Freetown Road. Public Relations Officer, Ian Courtenay says it’s a part of their Smart Cares Program.

Ian Courtenay, Public Relations Officer, Smart

ian courtenay

“Today we donated fifty schoolbags for primary school children along with some exercise blanks, pencils, pens and erasers. And it’s a part of our Smart Cares program, which is an ongoing program in which Smart gives back to the community. We’re also launching the Smarty mascot and so the logo on the bags is the Smarty with “Be smart, stay in school”. So we’re trying to push that to the young kids.”

Delahnie Bain

“How did you decide on this school?”

Ian Courtenay

“Actually, it’s a program—we have four schools we selected. We contacted the Ministry of Education and asked for their assistance. We picked schools which had a large population of kids who could use extra help and who have it a little tough, especially at the beginning of the school year and this was one of the schools that was recommended.’

Delahnie Bain

“What are the other three?”

Ian Courtenay

“We’re helping out Stella Maris, Queen Street Baptist, Ephesus Adventist School.”

Delahnie Bain

“Why the focus on education in particular?”

Ian Courtenay

“Well, at Smart we feel that that’s one of the areas where a big impact can be given to the general development of the country. And we know in these economic times that parents have it really difficult preparing their kids for school and even keeping them in school. So one of the avenues of the Smart Cares Program that we have is just focused on education and we wanted to get a bit more active in the education field.”

Smart will also have more giveaways at the primary school children’s rally.