As victims of a recent fire at Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice try to rebuild their lives, they received a cash donation from the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) yesterday.
Outgoing Director of the campus, Professor Daizal Samad made the presentation on behalf of the campus to Dhanmattie Harinarine, 30,
and her four children along with her father-in-law, Ragbeer, 67.
The professor also made a personal donation of a quantity of clothing, toys, utensils and other items.
The family thanked the professor for the kind gesture and said it was really appreciated. He urged them to call him in case they needed further help and said “we would try to do whatever we can.”
He also said he was speaking to “some people in Georgetown to bring them on board to rebuild the family… Families are the foundation of the country.”
Professor Samad said he read about the fire in Stabroek News and received more details and information about the family from a resident and member of the Youthful Minds group, Shazeena Seetayah.
He said “whilst today is special and whilst we should have done more, the University of Guyana Berbice Campus has always been engaged for the last four and a half years with these charitable donations.”
According to him, similar donations were made at places like, Angoy’s Avenue, Rose Hall and Corentyne. “…We give hampers, we engage the Guyana Police Force. What it shows is that we’re not giving, giving.
What it shows is that we are concerned about real people living real lives.”
He said too, “We are there because of the people and therefore it is our duty to come forward like this. UGBC has a heart… and as long as I am here, for the next few days, we will keep doing as much as we can.”
The fire which started around 6:10 pm on August 15 destroyed the family’s two-flat, two-bedroom wooden home.
The building is without electricity and Harinarine was out on the landing preparing to light the lamp when she smelt something burning.
She woke her husband, Harinarine Ragbeer, a cane-harvester who was sleeping in another bedroom.
They then rushed to his father’s room where the smell was coming from and “when he pushed open the door we see the fire.”
They grabbed a half-filled pail of water and tried to douse the blaze but it was no match and quickly spread to other parts of the house.
Some residents have also made monetary contributions to the family and they have already started to rebuild.
