A Barbadian parliamentarian is expanding a community-focused back-to-school assistance program this year, aiming to put essential educational supplies into the hands of up to 100 low-income children as they prepare for the start of the new academic term. Tyra Trotman, the elected representative for St Michael Central, is leading the “Pack for Progress: Together We Learn” initiative, a project she first launched independently in 2023, months before winning her parliamentary seat.
Trotman laid out her vision for the 2024 drive during a press briefing held at her constituency office on Leinster Road, Waterford, St Michael on Thursday, framing the effort around a core belief that education acts as one of the most powerful tools for social equality. “Education is a great equalizer no matter where you come from, whether it’s the heights or the hood,” she told reporters. “Once you get your strong background in education, you can really liberate yourselves.”
As a recipient of free public education herself, Trotman emphasized that expanding access to educational resources aligns with long-held national values in Barbados. Supporting young people through their schooling, she argued, unlocks life-changing social and economic opportunities that lift entire communities. “It creates numerous opportunities for young people, and it’s something I believe strongly in being someone who benefited from free education myself, and it’s something that we as Barbadians should pride ourselves on in terms of having that resource available for young people,” she said.
Last year, Trotman funded and ran the entire initiative alone, distributing backpacks and basic school supplies to children in need across her constituency. This year, two local community groups have stepped in to partner with the project: The Dream Team/Dream Mass and the Affluent Bunch, allowing the drive to scale up its reach from last year’s smaller cohort to 100 students in 2024.
Akhnaten Burrowes, leader of the Affluent Bunch, explained that his group’s participation grew out of a personal commitment to paying forward the support that helped him and his peers grow up. For Burrowes, community giving means building purpose-driven events that lift up vulnerable young people, rather than focusing solely on social gatherings. “People would have always helped me and helped my friends, and we would have grown and benefited from such initiatives,” Burrowes said. “So we wanted to do not just a party, but a party with a purpose where people can benefit from the same help that I and my team benefited from.” The Affluent Bunch has contributed bulk stationery supplies for participating students.
Keisha Thorne, a representative of Dream Team Entertainment, echoed the commitment to equitable access to education, noting that the initiative’s core mission is to ensure no child starts the school year at a disadvantage. “The whole initiative is very important because no child should be left out,” Thorne said.
While the initiative already has secured donations of backpacks and stationery, Trotman highlighted that two items remain in particularly high demand: school uniforms and properly fitted school shoes. Unlike backpacks, which can often be sourced at lower price points, Trotman noted that uniforms and footwear are the most requested needs from families preparing for back-to-school. She also issued an open call for additional donations from local businesses, organizations, and community members, saying more support will allow the drive to expand and help even more children in future years. Donors can drop off contributions at Trotman’s constituency office in St Michael.