Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley sends a big thank you to Rihanna for her donation of 4,000 tablets in a video posted on social media today.
Bajan superstar Robyn ‘Rihanna‘ Fenty wears many hats. While known mostly for her major musical hits, she is also cited for her entrepreneurial skills with her lingerie Savage x Fenty and her make-up line. Her philanthropic nature also gains her widespread love and support as she is dubbed the “giving queen”. Her latest generous gesture sees her donating 4,000 tablets to needy children in her home country of Barbados to allow for them to continue their education efforts during the Coronavirus pandemic.
2020 saw the closure of schools due to COVID-19 in many countries across the world. In Barbados, the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training began teaching efforts remotely in April via virtual mediums such as Google Classroom and GSuite. Minister of Education Hon Santia Bradshaw subsequently stated that 10,000 tablets were needed to fulfill the digital requirements of students. In May, she stated that there was a major shortage with some 6,500 students in Barbados still without access to devices.
Upon being made aware of this pressing issue, giving queen RiRi once again stepped up to help out her country. Rihanna had previously donated BBD $1.4 million back in March to the Government to aid in its fight against the novel Coronavirus. This allowed for the purchasing of much-needed ventilators. RiRi donated the 4,000 tablets through her Clara Lionel Foundation in partnership with Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey’s Start Small Foundation.
In a video address released today, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley expressed her gratitude, “I want to thank our own ambassador Robyn’ Rihanna” Fenty and her Clara Lionel Foundation as well as the Jack Dorsey Start Small Foundation for coming together and donating 4,000 tablets to Barbadian school children. We all know that education is the most important gift that we can give any child and to the extent that we can ensure that there is no digital divide among all of our students, that is our duty.”
Utilizing her motto, which has become an important fact for many in the on-going fight against Coronavirus, the PM stated, “We can always do it better when we do it together, we are always stronger when we work together.”
She added, “Robyn, as usual, thank you. Your Bajanness, your commitment to this country, your commitment to this region in the context of building climate resilience has not gone unnoticed. The world has watched you be that extraordinary Bajan, that extraordinary global citizen that has not forgotten that their roots are right here in Barbados.”
Fans have commended Rihanna for her continuous humanitarian efforts accepting that her impact is now way beyond just music, “The most unproblematic, unbothered, innovative, humanitarian everrrrr. WE STAN so much more than a music artist.,” one user commented.
We also stan the true giving queen, the beautiful and talented Rihanna.
