$78.3M First Lady budget to fund orphanage care, menstrual health, community parks

…as $900M for Men on Mission in 2026 Budget

The National Assembly on Monday approved a $78.3 million allocation for the Office of the First Lady and a $900 million subvention for the Men on Mission (MOM) programme as consideration of the 2026 Budget estimates began before the Committee of Supply. Both allocations fall under the Office of the President and were presented by Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira. The estimates came under scrutiny from opposition members during the examination process, particularly the increase in funding for the Office of the First Lady. Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Tabitha Sarabo-Halley questioned the Office of the First Lady’s budget, which reflects a 62 per cent increase over the previous year’s allocation. In response, Minister Teixeira explained that while the programme for 2026 amounts to more than the approved subvention, a significant portion of the funding is expected to be raised independently.

“The 2026 programme comes up to $78,300,000. We expect to spend that in the fiscal year 2026, of which $44 million is allocated for projects and programmes and the shortfall of $34.3 million which will be funded through fundraising events by the Office of the First Lady,” Teixeira said. She outlined the continuation of several initiatives planned for 2026 under the Office of the First Lady, including an “Adopt an Orphanage” programme, which will benefit a number of institutions across the country. These include Hararuni Girls Orphanage, A Sanctuary Children’s Home, Ruimveldt Children’s Home and Care Centre, Bless the Children Homes, Hope Children’s Home, Joshua House Children’s Home, Prabu Sharon Orphanage, Red Cross Convalescence Home, Shaheed’s Girls Orphanage, Shaheed’s Boys Orphanage, and others. A total of $5.5 million has been budgeted for this initiative.
The Office will also continue its Menstrual Hygiene Initiative, launched more than two years ago, which distributes sanitary pads to high school girls across all 10 administrative regions. The programme is allocated $12 million, including $2 million for transportation. Additionally, $3 million has been set aside for workshops on sexual and reproductive health in various communities, bringing the total allocation for those initiatives to $15.2 million. Another key component of the Office’s work is its inclusivity programme targeting persons with disabilities. According to Teixeira, $5 million has been earmarked for counselling services administered through the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities, with 100 persons expected to benefit. A further 120 persons with disabilities will receive skills training at the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation at the Empower Guyana building in Palmyra, Berbice. Training will be provided by the Carnegie School of Home Economics, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and private instructors. Donations of assistive devices such as canes and other aids are also included.
The National Beautification Project accounts for the largest share of the Office’s allocation, with $35 million assigned. Teixeira said this will support the construction and maintenance of parks and recreational spaces in several communities, including Den Amstel, Sans Souci, Diamond Grove, Bath Settlement, Number 63 Beach in Region Six, Kato in Region Eight, Wismar and Spikeland in Linden, Region 10. Maintenance work will also be carried out on existing parks in Regions Two, Three, Four and Six. Financial assistance will also be provided to vulnerable Guyanese in the form of backpacks, school supplies, children’s toys and hampers.
“The budget they will be getting is $78 million, and this will probably cost much more than that, but that’s why I said there’s also expected that a $34.3 million shortfall, which will be funded by the different fundraising activities sourced by the First Lady. These dinners and stuff like that, to supplement their subvention from the Government,” Teixeira stated.

Men on Mission
Meanwhile, the Committee approved a $900 million allocation for the MOM programme, which operates with a staff of four. Providing background on the initiative, Teixeira said the programme is aimed at addressing deep-rooted cultural attitudes that contribute to abuse and domestic violence. “It takes a long time to change people’s cultures and habits. It doesn’t happen overnight. Cultural abuse, and acceptance and intolerance of our society for abuse and domestic violence, it takes a long time to change,” she said.
She noted that MOM focuses on changing men’s attitudes toward women and children and positioning men as agents of change within their communities. In addition to workshops and community meetings, the programme has also focused on assisting vulnerable families through housing support. “There is a slow turn in the society to do with not tolerating the level of violence abuse that we used out before, so although domestic violence continued, there is less tolerance as expressed in the media and expressed in the judiciary in terms of dealing with cases under protection of the victims,” Teixeira added. The consideration of the remaining estimates continues in the National Assembly today.