Wally British using her platform to assist people in need

With more than half a million followers across Instagram and Facebook, social-media sensation Wally British understands all too well the influence she holds. It is with that in mind that the popular personality decided to step up her philanthropic game by starting an outreach programme to offer assistance to people in dire need.

Highlighting that she has always been the one to extend a helping hand, Wally British told THE STAR she saw an increase in the demand for help when the COVID-19 pandemic began to adversely affect countless people across the region. She then took it upon herself to start an outreach programme, which she said has provided assistance to countless number of people in the Caribbean and the USA in less than two weeks.

"Giving and helping has always been a part of who I am. I've always asked God to help me come across money like that in order to help more, but me did a gwaan do weh me can with what I have, but nothing has ever got to the point of this one. It started on April 11 when one mother from the States reached out for help with her nine-year-old, and my followers responded swiftly to get her the help. Based on that response, I started getting more requests from others for help," she said.

"There are so many people out there who need help, and when I put their situation out there, my followers always come through with the assistance. They send money via Western Union, MoneyGram, Cash app, and I get it to the person who need the funds."

MANY REQUESTS

Wally told THE STAR that the requests have been so many, it gets overwhelming, but not to the point where she feels like she will stop. "It can be tiresome, straining and stressful. It's pretty much you reading through loads of messages of persons' sorrows, and that can be overwhelming," she said. "But it is not overwhelming enough for me to decide I'm going to stop. There are people who need the help and people willing to give it, and I realise that I am the one putting the situation out there so if I stop, I would be stopping people from getting the help they need.

"Me like when dem send me video with the things dem weh dem buy, especially when dem have kids. It make me feel good being able to make that happen with my platform. That feeling is really overwhelming to know that me always wah in a position to help people in this way, and God just work it out," she continued.

With that said, the social-media sensation says she would love to see more personalities use their platforms to reach out to needy people. "It surprise me the magnitude of people who are coming out for help, especially from the parishes of Kingston and St Catherine. Me glad fi know say so many a get the help because when you hear some of the stories, it really heartbreaking. I know more people can help and they definitely should. Even though you can't tell people what to do with their money and their platform, if everyone was to come together and help a set of people, whole heap more people can get help. There are hundreds of people who need help. When you have fan base, they will support you in whatever you do. I am testament to that," she said.