Minister spotlights education, nutrition at One Guyana kitchen

Even many Guyanese who traverse up and down Main Street in Georgetown may not realise that just outside the President’s residence, a high level of education and mentorship takes place daily at the One Guyana Kitchen. The initiative, established by President Irfan Ali, provides children with meals, homework supervision and extra lessons, combining nutrition and learning in one community-focused programme. This was highlighted by Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand moments after she concluded her engaging national consultation meeting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Georgetown.

“The President calls it your residence, the people’s residence, and right opposite State House, the President hosts a One Guyana Kitchen where people get meals and so on. I don’t think you realise that, so I thought I’d bring it to you,” the Minister declared. She also highlighted that every afternoon, children from various communities visit the One Guyana Kitchen, where they receive supervision to complete their homework and participate in extra lessons. Present at the event were Anne Thompson, a retired teacher, and volunteer Erica Moore, who assists with the programme. They oversee the children as they work on their lessons and homework as part of the initiative established by President Irfan Ali.
The Minister shared that Thompson mentioned knowing her mother and recalled her lifelong dedication to service. She noted that each encounter with someone who knew her mother serves as a reminder of her remarkable commitment to children and the community, inspiring her to continue that legacy of service. Drawing from this experience, she also encouraged others to follow the same example.