Amazing, joyful and tearful all in one.
by Gene Wilson
John Orr, SVP Retail for Ceridian
John journeyed to South Africa with the Retail Orphan Initiative. Together, with a team from Intel, the RetailROI group deployed a new tablet-based education system from Intel in an after-school program in an impoverished area of Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. John describes his experience:
The trip was an amazing, joyful, and tearful experience all in one. Ria, who runs the school, lost her sister, Korna, years ago when they were carjacked and Korna was shot and killed. Ria spent years trying to understand it and find her purpose in life. She came upon these orphans and kids in need and found it. Lindsay got involved 8 years ago, and has raised monies to build a safe house on the school property and fund other improvements.
Connecting with ROI and Intel and ROI’s funding of this computer lab project has gone a long way. The Intel team was amazing and shows what a soul Intel has, and their people are an extension of that. It’s fabulous that they overcame many obstacles to set-up a C3 server, 30 tablets, imaging them all, training the teachers, and being with us as we, within a week, had the students using the tablets for research, spelling, art, and so much more. I was floored that these kids, who have so little, had respect for the devices, and simply used them as if they have been using them for months. While the Intel group trained the teachers, my son, nephew, and I kept over 60 children busy playing (wore us out every day). We then helped support the children in their classes as they needed help with the tablets, and we certainly praised their successful efforts.
Ria asked me what the best part of the trip was. I told her I did not make it to the beach (the world’s best surfing destination — Jeffreys Bay); but when any of those kids smiled, they looked so beautiful and had so much to not smile about – they had a special glow about them that touched your heart, brought joy, then made you cry out of love – that was my best part. I brought my son with me, and Lindsay brought her brother with her. We not only enjoyed spending that time together, but we shared in a very special moment – one we will never forget or lose the feelings for. WOW …humility with an urge to go back as soon as I can to experience the true joy of it all and those beautiful children.
What great work ROI has done and will continue to do. The people who get involved in any way they can will experience some amazing things in their life. Thank ROI, thank these retailers and solution providers, and thank those who take the initial step and don’t ask whether you can do it or not – sometimes you just buckle up and go, and then, when that roller coaster stops, you cannot wait to do it again. If I can do it, clearly anyone can…we all can.