Today, I had the enormous privilege of helping someone get online for the very first time. I have been working with this lady for a number of weeks now, getting her familiar with basic computing, but today was special - she was able to create her email account and send some messages.
Quite apart from the sheer joy she exhibited when she realised she could do this, it was the speed with which she suddenly reeled off all the things she would now be able to do which she couldn't before. She began pulling letters from her bag and asking "can I email these, and these?", "yes" I answered, "you can email them all"
This lady is on a very limited income, with four children to support, alone. She has a pay-as-you-go mobile but finds it so expensive when phoning essential services, and as we know, they like to keep us hanging on.
Being able to email will open the door to so many opportunities for her, she will no doubt find it will make a real difference to her daily life.
Next week we start on the Internet and basic searches, I can't wait. Today I saw very clearly for the first time, just what I, and many others, now take for granted - the ability to communicate online. I don't think I will again. Thank you Julie, I learnt a lot today too.
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