Changemakers Playground - Episode #13 - Raquel Knight

Changemakers Playground

Racquel Knight – who’s under 30! -- grew up in a small, rural district of Jamaica called Bellevue. Each school day, Racquel and her schoolmates would spend thirty minutes or more trying to find a desk or chair, or fighting over what little furniture was already there. If a chair had three legs, she would be forced to improvise, leaning it against the wall and manipulating her body weight to avoid falling. Other times, she would use her backpack as seating. This problem still exists today, especially in the rural areas of Jamaica where there is an increased need for classroom furniture. Chairs and desks are often broken or misplaced. As a result, students are either sent home, or left to sit on the floor, which makes it difficult to participate in class. During her college years, Racquel began to reflect on her experience in Jamaica. She decided to create One Chair 4 One Child (OC4OC) to address the need for furniture in rural Jamaican classrooms. OC4OC is working tirelessly to ensure that every school in Jamaica has adequate seating – and desks -- for students. Tune in to my interview with Racquel to learn how she makes it happen!