Mavado Supplies Public Schools In Jamaica With Computers

Mavado is turning out to be the Jamaican artist of the year. His debut album on VP Records Gangsta For Life The Symphony of David Brooks blazed up the charts this summer and continues to win new fans with its dance-tastic rhythms and heartfelt lyrics. But apparently his heart extends beyond the music and into the Jamaican community itself. I've been receiving reports this week of a new charity organization that Mavado created in order to connect the island's public schools to the information super highway. Mavado says:

There are hundreds of schools in Jamaica that are in dire need of a computer and access to the internet. My manager and I had bought some computers recently to give away to some schools, and the idea just snowballed from there.

The organization is called Connect Jamaica and it has teamed up with Flow, a communications company "dedicated to providing free internet connection to all public high schools." According to Oonu Culture news:

Connect Jamaica aims to donate computers every month to schools around the island. This week, Mavado will give away computers and printers to Charlie Smith High School (Arnett Gardens,) Constant Spring High, Shortwood Practising and Swallowfield All Age.The organization will also raise funds through various events and donations. Mavado’s annual Birthday Bash – dubbed the Real McCoy – will take place this year on Saturday, December 1st at the Temple Hall Estate in St. Andrew, Jamaica where a significant portion of the proceeds will go towards Connect Jamaica.

I think this is such a great thing Mavado is doing. As much as the internet can be a distraction and an overload of information, it can also be a source of different perspectives and cultural differences which can be pretty valuable for a teen growing up on a small island with strong religious and political hierarchies. Mavado has filmed three music videos for songs on Gangsta For Life, here is "Dying" and "Dreaming":"Dying":"Dreaming" (audio is super quiet):