A brand-new two-bedroom house was handed over to 77-year-old pensioner Sumintra Harripersaud of Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) through the Men on Mission (MoM) initiative.
The home was officially handed over by Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister responsible for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy.
The pensioner, who has been living in Friendship for the past 16 years, was forced to fend for herself following the death of her husband, who was a canecutter, and the disappearance of her two sons.
Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister responsible for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy and 70-year-old Sumintra Harripersaud
Following a request by her niece, the MoM programme assessed her previous living conditions and determined her eligibility for its housing programme.
In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), the elderly woman revealed that her previous home was dilapidated and on the verge of collapsing. She expressed her gratitude to MoM for gifting her a new home.
“I [am] glad that I get a [new] home and thank you to the government…god bless them,” she expressed.
The new two-bedroom house
Meanwhile, Minister McCoy underscored the Government’s commitment to assisting vulnerable citizens.
“And we have been taking on the initiative of constructing homes for people in vulnerable situations and difficult circumstances and it is part of the approach of the Government, the approach to prosperity, the approach to wealth creation, the approach to development,” he stated.
McCoy also underlined the significance of homeownership, stating that it is a highly sought-after aspect of our society, and the Government is working to ensure homeownership at every level. The Government has allocated $500 million to the MoM initiative in its national fiscal plan to support vulnerable Guyanese across the country. In 2023, approximately 50 homes were built for vulnerable individuals.
