A simple gesture with a global impact: the importance of communication in international solidarity.
There are small gestures that can make a big difference. This is the case with the three Samsung A40 smartphones donated by Xera and handed out by Letizia to the members of the TakeMeBack team in Sri Lanka.
But let’s start from the beginning… In August, Letizia Guardì — a TakeMeBack Solidarity Ambassador— had the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka for the first time. During her stay, together with Anthea—a longtime Solidarity Correspondent—Letizia led a school support mission for the children of Dewathura Kanitu Viduhala, a school located in a remote village in the mountainous hinterland of Namunukula. The word “remote” is no accident: in this rural setting, where the nearest town (Ella) is over two hours away, the children have access only to essentials like food and clothing.
Some of them don’t even have shoes, which makes their educational journey even more difficult. The school is home to 48 children who, thanks to TakeMeBack’s efforts, have received essential school supplies such as backpacks, notebooks, pens, erasers, and pencils.
A Goal of Solidarity: Helping Children Study
“With the cost of a Friday beer, we can buy about 15 notebooks,”, explains Letizia, emphasizing how even a small donation can make a big difference. The goal of the campaign was to raise €700 to ensure that all the children at the school had school supplies for the entire year. Well, the results far exceeded expectations! The generosity of the donors allowed TakeMeBack to raise €1,165.00. With the donations received, Letizia purchased:
- School supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers, crayons, scissors) for the 48 children at the school for one year.
- Food for 48 children
- 1 computer for the school
- 1 speaker with microphone
- 1 globe
- 2 maps (world map and map of Sri Lanka)
- 2 mouth organs
- 4 badminton rackets and shuttlecocks
- 3 balls (soccer, volleyball, and basketball) and a volleyball net
- 4 cricket bats (and balls)
- 1 English Dictionary
The invaluable assistance of Xera Information Technology
In this context, Xera steps in—a company that has donated 20 Samsung smartphones, helping to improve the living conditions of children in the most disadvantaged communities. These smartphones are not merely electronic devices; they serve as a bridge of solidarity between continents, a means of strengthening communication between volunteers in Sri Lanka and the Solidarity Couriers in Italy.
Letizia personally handed over the first three devices to Anthea and Dilaksion, our field coordinators, who, together with Udaya, a teacher at the Ambewela school, will now be able to coordinate more effectively with the Italian team for future deliveries, significantly improving the efficiency of operations.
Another seventeen phones will be distributed in the coming weeks to volunteer couriers who are setting out on new missions.
But that’s not all: the company has already demonstrated its commitment by donating a laptop, which was personally delivered in January by Antonio Di Leonardo, founder of TakeMeBack, during a trip to Sri Lanka. This gesture has had a tangible impact on these children’s education.
This story not only demonstrates the importance of technology in fostering solidarity, but also highlights the crucial role played by companies like Xera, showcasing the real and tangible impact their support can have. After all, in an increasingly connected world, it is actions like these that remind us of the power of global cooperation, bringing together resources and people toward a common goal: helping those in need.
