Two cheques totalling close to $2 million from Food for the Poor and overseas-based Guyanese donor Sahaboob Yassin were handed over to the St Francis Community Developers (SFCD) on Monday.
The cheque from Food for the Poor will go towards the construction of ponds for the second tilapia-rearing project in Region 6, under the Shining Star Community Development (SSCD) at Limlair village, Corentyne. Some 8,000 tilapia are expected to be reared in the first batch.
Food for the Poor Project Coordinator Andrea Benjamin, before handing over the over $1 million cheque, pointed out that the SFCD organisation had been aiming to a rear a batch of 4,000 tilapia “but the head office in Florida decided to double it; knowing that Alex [Foster SFCD head] has the ability to handle big projects.”
She also said that the total cost of the project is $2.5 million, but indicated that the $1 million+ cheque would allow its start up, with the construction of the ponds and setting up of security measures.
Benjamin said the project aims at providing employment opportunities for local residents, food security along with aqua farming training skills.
The contract for the construction of the ponds has been awarded to Krishna (Kris) Jagdeo Construction.
At the SSCD office in Limlair, a model farm has been set up where local residents are involved in the production and care of livestock. Residents are also able to earn an income from the projects.
The first tilapia project is located at the headquarters of SFCD in Port Mourant, Corentyne. That project was funded by the Government of Japan.
Meanwhile, Yassin gifted the organisation with a cheque for $800,000 to assist with the cost of printing of its 25th anniversary celebration magazine. In a brief speech, he said the donation was part fulfilment of a promise he had made to the SFCD. Yassin recently donated several high-tech gadgets to the NGO. They included iPads, flat-screen televisions, a state-of-the-art identification card printing device and a projector. Yassin also expressed gratitude to SFCD for the tremendous work it has done and continues to do in building communities.
Foster, after receiving the cheques, expressed gratitude to the donors.
Commenting on the publication of the NGO’s second magazine, he said the plan was to distribute it the Commonwealth arena. “Our magazine is used by the Commonwealth… as a teaching tool of what a little youth group can grow into,” he said.
He urged donors to give so that more copies of the magazine could be printed.
The 25th anniversary celebration magazine is being printed by F&H Printing. The first magazine was published for its 20th anniversary celebration.
