Like many Guyanese, Seeta Oumadatt left Guyana 38 years ago, revisiting years later with her hands full. The items however, were not for her or her relatives but for persons in need.
The woman, who revisited the country of her birth for the first time in 28 years, in 2000, to attend a relative’s funeral, now returns at least twice a year to distribute items to needy persons.
This past Christmas, Oumadatt was busy distributing gifts in several areas, even on Christmas Day itself. This was her third trip for the year.
Speaking with Stabroek News recently, Oumadatt, who works as a purchasing manager for a veterinary laboratory in New York, revealed that seven years ago, after an absence of 28 years, she returned to attend a relative’s funeral in Berbice and was struck by the poverty she saw.
Moved by the sight, upon her return to her New York home, she decided to gather together some items to send back to the people. “I decided that I would do this once only”, she stated. However, she was unprepared for the reaction she received from persons, who upon learning of what she had done, contributed to her efforts.
The members of the Mahatma Gandhi Satsangh located in Hollis, New York, which she belongs to, contributed as did other mandirs in the area. Co-workers, friends and family too donated clothing, toys, dishes, school supplies, linen and shoes among other items. Oumadatt said that the items are taken to the mandir, where they are sorted out and packed. Usually a 40 foot container is filled with the items and shipped to Guyana. This year two 40-foot containers were sent.
The woman said that all the items are donated by persons who heard of the endeavor by “word-of-mouth”.
On her previous trips, Oumadatt stated, she usually stayed at the homes of friends but this year she purchased a piece of land and built a home. She made her decision to build her own place after items that were sent to be distributed were stolen by unscrupulous persons and also because she did not want to put her friends’ lives “at risk”. She added that owning her own home in addition to the newly-built bond was more convenient.
Her earlier trips were made during different parts of the year with this Christmas being only the third that she was present for the holidays. For this season, in a hired canter truck and accompanied by two ‘Santas’, sometimes in pouring rain, the woman distributed bags of goodies in villages on the West Demerara from Vreed-en-Hoop to Parika and also along the West Bank Demerara up to Patentia. Additionally, items were distributed in villages along the East Bank Demerara, in Georgetown and on the East Coast Demerara. Items were also sent to Berbice. Oumadatt said that in previous years other places were visited and items were also donated to orphanages and sent to the interior.
She noted that word is usually passed on from person to person and when she is notified about needy persons, a bag of goodies is usually prepared for the family. “When I meet people, they tell me and I go to the neighbourhood”, she said. She is assisted in doing this by several persons, whom she met during her trips. Oumadatt, who seemed unable to sit still during the interview as she tended to arrangements or checked bags, revealed that she never saw herself undertaking something like this.
She said that the first time she distributed items the experience was “emotional” and “now I get pleasure doing it
