First Son Zayd Ali being assisted to cut the ceremonial ribbon at the handing over ceremony
A family of four from Tuschen on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE) on Friday received the keys to their brand-new home in keeping with a commitment made by First Lady Arya Ali.
Six weeks ago, the First Lady visited the Ward family at their home which was in a deplorable condition, posing risks to their health and safety.
First Lady Arya Ali conversing with the two teenage girls
Seventy-five-year-old Vibert Ward was diagnosed with prostate cancer three years ago and has been bedridden ever since. His wife, Dolly Ward, provides round-the-clock care to him, in addition to having to care for their two teenage daughters.
Due to the circumstances, the wife has been unable to work, and this has resulted in the family having to rely on the elderly man’s pension to provide for their needs.
When First Lady Arya Ali visited the family in April, she committed to building a new home for them, setting up a chicken coop for the family to earn a living, and providing the teenage girls with scholarships upon the completion of their schooling.
The interior of the semi-furnished house
The Regional Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube, also committed to providing part-time employment for Mrs Ward, whose responsibility would be to care for her husband. In addition, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) pledged to provide medical supplies for the elderly man.
The family received the keys to their new two-bedroom house which was semi-furnished with a sofa, television, stove, fridge, and beds.
“I am happy to be able to fulfil this commitment to you, and provide you with your new home in just six weeks. I hope that this will provide the kind of support that your family needs and that it will be of tremendous value to your girls,” the First Lady told the wife during the handing over ceremony.
The First Lady also highlighted that it was made possible through sponsorships and donations from kind-hearted residents within the region.
The woman, who was unable to contain her excitement, shared how grateful the family is to the First Lady and by extension the Government of Guyana for intervening at such a critical time for them.
She explained that one of her daughters dreamt that their old house had collapsed, leaving them with severe injuries thus leaving them in a state of worry and fear.
“So, I must say how thankful we are today [Friday] to the First Lady and the President and the Government and everyone who helped to make this possible for us. I can’t express how happy I feel. I still can’t believe this is real,” an emotional woman said, just before entering her new home.
This is the second family to receive a new house through the Office of the First Lady.
