Five families are now the recipients of new two-bedroom homes complete with sanitation facilities, while work continues on the remaining four being built via a partnership between Food for the Poor (FFTP) and Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited.
The homes are located in Diamond/Grove, East Bank Demerara; Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara; Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice and at Lot 59 Johanna North, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne Coast and stem from a FFTP proposal to improve the living conditions of needy persons countrywide. FFTP’s housing project consists of two-bedroom wooden structures built free of cost for very poor families. To date, about 3000 houses have been built across the country, a press release said.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony of one of the homes to Deonarine Shewpersaud of Black Bush Polder, Corentyne Coast, Kent Vincent, Chief Executive Officer of FFTP, said the charity is committed to helping underprivileged persons and is extremely grateful for the assistance afforded by Republic Bank in the construction of the homes. The charity is a ministry to the poor and depends on businesses and individuals for donations to realize projects of this nature, he said. Vincent told the gathering that the charity plans to build 120 houses this year and appealed to corporate society to assist in making this a reality.
In his address, Harry Dass Ghannes, Manager of Republic Bank’s Rose Hall Branch said that the Bank has been serving areas and making donations not only to FFTP but also to sports and other non-governmental organizations. Ghannes said the Bank was pleased to be associated with the housing project and looks forward to providing more assistance in the future.
Meanwhile, 58-year-old Shewpersaud, a father of two said he was extremely grateful to the charity and Bank for making life comfortable for his family. He said that previously they lived in deplorable conditions and he was thankful for the generosity extended to them.
In an invited comment, Bhopaul Jagroo, Region Six Vice Chairman praised FFTP for their assistance to the poor.
