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WELCOME TO ISLAND RELIEF
When most people
think of the Caribbean and the islands of the Bahamas they think
of beautiful beaches and tourist-filled hotels. Along with
this comes the common misconception that residents make a good
living in service of the tourism industry, and that the
bountiful resources found on the tourist islands are available
to residents of all islands.
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Tarpum Bay
Schoolhouse, Eleuthera, Bahamas
Island Relief plans to renovate |
But the reality for many island residents is
vastly different. There is a dramatic disparity
between the islands that have benefited from the tourist
trade and the native population of the rural islands,
commonly known as the Family Islands, of the Bahamas.
Statistics for the region can be misleading. The lack
of resources - such as books, computers and medical supplies
in many settlements belies the 98% literacy rate, because
residents are often unable to put their capacity for
learning to good use. Studies demonstrate the actual
reading and writing skill levels are markedly lower than
those of more developed countries.
Another concern is statistics that indicate less than 30%
of the population of the Bahamas has internet access, which,
for a nation of sparsely populated islands, is a truer
measure of their prospects in the internet age. |
| The result is a nation of bright children and
hard-working adults, eager to earn a future for themselves,
but having few resources with which to do so. Island
Relief was founded to help address these concerns.
Working closely with the Ministry of Education, local
governments and community volunteers, we have been
privileged to collaborate in the establishment of an
atmosphere in which community development can thrive.
In addition to helping individual schools, our efforts
support the Ministry of Education's resolution to launch a
learning center in every community. By stocking
libraries and building computer labs, we empower individuals
with new avenues for learning, opening a world of
information that would otherwise be inaccessible.
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Island Relief
turned an empty room at Tarpum Bay School into this computer
lab where classes are now taught. |
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