The way that students experience school has radically changed all over the world due to COVID-19. For some like Samina, a grantee of the Soondra Foundation, not having access to a computer was an additional hardship. The Soondra Foundation’s timely highlight of Samina’s academic story shows the realities of online learning in such an isolating time. Instead of writing her papers and conducting research on a laptop, Samina’s remote learning experience consists of her using her cell phone to complete academic assignments. Nearly a year since COVID-19 sent the world into lockdown and moved school to a virtual format, students all over the world are feeling the devastating effects of the digital divide.
While still in high school, the Soondra Foundation’s direct cash grant provided Samina’s family the necessary funding to cover an emergency surgery after she fractured her leg. The well timed aid then allowed Samina to take her final exams, supporting her on her journey to graduate high school, eventually becoming the first person in her family to attend college. Unfortunately, Samina’s university experience this year has been shaped by the absence of a laptop and a sense of virtual community. Adding to the matter, working remotely is filled with at-home distractions, and she feels as though the circumstances have impacted her overall motivation and mental-emotional well-being. Luckily, after asking her family, friends and community, Samina was able to borrow an old laptop to participate and contribute to her virtual classes. In a time when having access to internet and digital devices is crucial to the academic and professional success of billions around the world, stories such as Samina’s show the vast disparities that many individuals face due to the digital divide.
Read more about Samina’s story Here.
