“I want to help animals” – 1st son Zayd Ali at 4th lemonade sale

…$10M proceeds to go towards animal shelters

Guyana’s first son, Zayd Ali, brought a burst of citrus to the lawns of State House as he launched his fourth annual Lemonade Sale, an event aimed at raising funds to support local animal shelters and promote animal welfare.
The lawns of State House came alive with citrus flavours as scores of children, cups of lemonade in hand, gathered on Thursday for the annual fundraiser in support of animal welfare groups and organisations.
Lemonade was sold at prices of $1500 and $2000, and the sale raised a total of $10 million.

Speaking at the launch, First Lady Arya Ali noted that the proceeds will go towards supporting animal shelters and the care of animals.
“I want to say today [Thursday] is a bright and sunny day, perfect for lemonade… This is not just about enjoying a refreshing drink but also about giving back to animals. These are our friends who do not have a voice, so we must speak and care for them,” she said.
She added that Zayd is very passionate about animals and that the initiative was developed to instil values of compassion and kindness from a young age.
“He is just six years old and has been doing this for about three to four years now. As a family, we believe strongly in compassion, kindness, and giving back, and this is one way he can contribute at his age,” the First Lady explained.
She further expressed gratitude to those in attendance and highlighted that the initiative aims to support animal shelters across the country while addressing the issue of stray animal overpopulation through spay and neuter campaigns.
“I want to thank everyone for coming out and supporting. We try to assist every animal shelter in the country, and this initiative is also about reducing the overpopulation of stray animals through spay and neuter programmes,” she said.
It was also explained that the event did not involve students specifically, but rather children from various orphanages who were invited to attend.
A representative noted that whenever initiatives, celebrations, or functions are hosted at State House, the children are often invited to participate and enjoy the activities.
“We have invited children from various homes – about 150 to 200 of them – to be part of today’s [Thursday] event. Whenever we host activities at State House, we ensure they are included. We always say this is the people’s home, so it is open and welcoming to everyone,” the representative stated.
Meanwhile, the First Lady emphasised that more can be done to raise awareness about animal welfare and called on citizens to show greater compassion towards animals.
“…I think there is much more that can be done. People need to be kinder to animals. There is a lot of cruelty, and we must be our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper by treating animals with dignity and love,” she said.
Zayd also expressed his love for animals and encouraged the public to support the initiative.
“I am doing this because I want to help animals. I love them, and I want people to come out and support the Lemonade Sale,” he said.
Last year the event raised $9 million, which was distributed among eight animal shelters and organisations.
Each organisation received $1 million, including Hope for Animals, Tails of Hope, Rosewood Foundation, Ravina’s Rescue, Paws for a Cause, Pawsome Oasis Inc, the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Furball and Friends Foundation Inc.