Ten families in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) are now owners of their own homes following a donation by Food for the Poor Guyana Limited (FFTP).
A total of 61 persons are benefiting from the 10 new homes, which were handed over on Friday.
Forty-five children and sixteen adults will be living in the homes, situated in East Canje; New Amsterdam, including Angoy’s Avenue; and on the East Bank of Berbice at Lighttown.
The project was a collaborative effort of St Francis Community Developers and Food For The Poor Guyana.
Leslie Sukhai and Fazeela Ali with children at their new Lonsdale house on the East Bank of Berbice
According to President of St Francis, Alex Foster, the organisation also worked with others, which included local authorities, and was able to iron out the many difficulties, which include multiple ownership of the land the houses were going to be built in. The Private Sector also supported the project.
Foster noted that despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 this year, the organisation’s building programme continued, even though downscaled.
However, Foster said that, apart from the physical aspect of the programme, St Francis also provides psycho-social services for the beneficiaries.
Of the ten families, two couples tied the knot during the counselling period leading to Friday’s event, while a third had to postpone their marriage due to a close family member falling ill.
Kenesha Stephens receiving title to her home and keys to her house from New Amsterdam Mayor Winifred Haywood
According to Foster, several governmental agencies were involved in providing needed services, including those of counselling.
Meanwhile, Senior Project Manager Andrea Joseph said homeownership is very important. Directly addressing the beneficiaries, she called on them to care for their new homes, noting that it also includes their surroundings.
She said improved homes means improved communities, which it what they are focusing on.
According to Joseph, the United Nations millennium goal speaks about housing.
“The work that we are doing contributes to the development of this country. The work that Food For the Poor and St Francis and all our collaborating partners are doing as it relates to housing in Guyana contributes to national development.”
The homes are equipped with indoor bathroom facilities, one table, four chairs, a stove and three beds. Solar panels are also being provided for those who do not have access to electricity.
To date, Food For the Poor had built and distributed 385 houses across the country, and plans to build 120 this year.
Chief Executive Officer Kent Vincent has said that every year FFTP has been improving the standard of the homes, which comes at a higher cost.
He said most of the funding comes from the USA, but Food For the Poor also builds houses in Latin America, where the need is greater and the cost for building materials is cheaper.
He said Food For The Poor cannot keep depending on external sources, and it is time for corporate Guyana to come on board.
“We don’t want to always depend on donations from the US to come here. We should be having more people within the corporate sector, big businesses and other individuals, come on board to help the people who are in need,” he said.
Meanwhile, in thanking Food For the Poor, St Francis and United Brick Layers – an NGO which also worked along with the beneficiaries, Neil Archer, a single parent of three, said he was extremely happy to now have his own home.
“It is not easy having to pay a rent. I am happy. It is a happy day for the children.”
He said one of his sons told him that the house was theirs, and not his. When he inquired if they were going to put him out, Archer said the boys told him that he had taken care of them since their mother passed away, and as such, they will have to take care of him in time to come.
Another recipient, Kenesha Stephens, a nurse attached to the New Amsterdam Hospital and a resident of Angoy’s Avenue, was also high in praise of FFTP.
She noted that she was living under difficult circumstances as a single parent.
“The timing was impeccable, because I was shortly separated from my husband, and with my kids, I was down emotionally and I did not know what to do,” she said. (G4)
