‘Tis the season of giving and after months of dealing with the unknowns surrounding Christmas, the Insurance Company of the West Indies (ICWI), through its Family Christmas giveaway, brought smiles to the children of their customers. 

Christmas gifts comprising a laptop, tablets, bicycles and learning tools were handed over to ten children at ICWI’s head offices in New Kingston on December 16.

Another 200 gifts were granted through its inaugural ‘Fix the Star’ game app, which ran through to December 22.

President of the ICWI Group, Paul Lalor, who championed the initiative, was on hand to make the presentations.

“We are a family company, and we see each and every one of our customers as part of the ICWI family, so it’s even more important during the Christmas Season for our policyholders to have that family feel, and one of the things that families do at this time of the year is to give gifts,” Lalor shared.

Hundreds of handwritten letters were received from the Christmas Family giveaway drop boxes placed at ICWI’s 14 branches across the island.

ICWI’s Vice President of Marketing and Human Resource, Samantha Samuda, expressed that the company’s executives were significantly touched by the heartrending wishes shared by children.

“Our children have been having a tough time dealing with the effects of COVID and adapting to a new way of life on top of the everyday challenges their families face. We received so many letters with children requesting gifts as small as a scientific calculator for school, and as far-reaching as a kidney for an ailing family member. Being able to grant a few wishes to these children really brought a warm feeling to the ICWI family,” Samuda explained. 

Lajay Davis, who was among the children to receive notable gifts from ICWI, was elated to have had his wish granted.

The 13-year-old, who dreams of becoming a software engineer like his uncle shared that, “It [the laptop] will definitely help me in the future and I am just really excited for what is to come. This laptop will open a lot of opportunities for me.”  

Samuda also indicated that the company is pleased to be able to grant more children the opportunity to be gifted through the company’s interactive game app.

“It has been a challenging time for us and our customers and this Christmas we get to give gifts to so many children. Children who enter the app and play the game will be able to receive phone credit to talk to their loved ones, e-books to have a good read and KFC vouchers to enjoy for the holidays,” she noted.

The company, which is also coordinating efforts to donate much-needed items for the Mustard Seed Communities, has gone further to reach out to other corporate entities and Jamaicans to join their efforts to give unreservedly to the children in state care through a Christmas Wishlist initiative.

Lalor added that those that are in state care without close families around at Christmas time are in greater need for love.

“We are happy to pull together and to join with other corporate entities to remind our children that they are loved and cared for. As a family company, we feel we have a responsibility to take care of the nation’s children in whatever way we can,” he said. 

ICWI handed over donations to the Mustard Seed Communities last Wednesday, December 22.