The low turnout for the suicide prevention walk, hosted by the Prevention of Teenage Suicide (POTS) Guyana last Saturday, has prompted its representatives to call for intensified support.
Under the theme: “Be the one to save a life, speak up, speak out”, the walk started at 08:00h in New Amsterdam, Berbice, commencing at Philadelphia Road and ending at Garison Road.
POTS, who has been advertising the event for months now, was disappointed with the turn out.
Members of the Prevention of Teenage Suicide (POTS)
Only twelve persons turned up to the walk, but nevertheless, they all braved the morning heat and walked in solidarity for the worthy cause.
Berbice was the targeted area because of the high suicide rate in that region. However, despite the low turnout, the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) was not deterred from its mission to spread awareness throughout the county.
According to the publisher of POTS, Sasha Rawof, the NGO is hoping to further target schools in Berbice.
Rawof explained that the organisation will be preparing and giving lectures to the students and teachers, educating them and bringing “much needed” awareness on the issue of suicide.
The POTS representative said that Berbice is the focus of the organisation currently and much work will be done there.
However, she used the opportunity to make the call for the support of the Berbicians so that their work can be continued. Later this month POTS Guyana will be hosting a blood drive in the area.
The volunteer programme is working to prevent suicide among teenagers in Guyana through education, training and support. Already, the Education Ministry has collaborated with POTS allowing it to tour schools in all 11 education districts so as to interact with students.
GTT as part of its ‘do more’ campaign, which is geared towards fulfilling the company’s corporate social responsibility, has supported Punch’s efforts with a $4 million donation which will be G-Talk Suicide Hotline, Regional Billboard programme throughout Guyana, I-commit to Life bracelets and the premiere of the “Staying Alive” music video which will be us used to fund seven of 10 billboards which will be erected in each region of the country advertising the efforts of POTS Guyana.
This is being done through a collaborative effort between the Ministries of Health and Education and corporate Guyana.
The organisation was officially launched in September of 2015 by former Miss World, Lisa Punch.
