As former sugar workers and their families continue to face the many impacts resulting from the Wales Sugar Estate closure, 22 of the affected children who attend the nearby Patentia Secondary School received donations of items totalling $2 million.
Twenty-two students at Patentia Secondary School, West Bank Demerara received donations from an overseas-based businessman after many parents lost employment at the Wales Sugar Estate
Nearly two years after the official shutting down of operations at the Estate, many sacked sugar workers are still dealing with reduced employment and financial challenges.
As a result, some parents chose to rotate sending their children to school which caught the eye of the education officers.
Recognising many of these concerns, an overseas-based businessman, through prominent Attorney-At-Law Christopher Ram, made the timely donation.
Among the items are stationery supplies and haversacks; one student from the distant community of Free and Easy was given a bicycle to travel to school.
A section of the students at the handing over on Tuesday morning
Headmistress Collette Reedon, who has been stationed at the school for about one year, says that these timely donations give the school a more positive image while assisting parents in the community who have encountered difficulties.
She told Guyana Times that a study was conducted to select the students who were most in need.
Attorney Ram noted that four other schools on the West Bank of Demerara are slated to receive similar donations while there are also plans to give a few scholarships to students.
Wales Sugar Estate officially ended operations in December 2016. To date, many of the workers have not been paid severance packages.
