The New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission is expected to commission its US$400,000 new social services centre at Ankerville, Port Mourant in August.
The centre hopes to provide skills training and counselling for at-risk youths, domestic violence victims, single mothers and senior citizens among other services, however, it needs additional funding to complete the furnishings so as to render the centre operational.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, the New Jersey NGO which is funded by the Guyanese community in the United States and Canada has been operating in Guyana since 2005, and this latest venture, the Port Mourant facility, is the first of its kind under the ‘Village Project’ initiative.
President of the Humanitarian Mission, Suresh Sugrim who on Monday met with First Lady, Sandra Granger, said his organisation’s main focus is “to provide educational and empowerment opportunities as tools to help break the cycle of poverty.”
Further, Sugrim noted, the Mission hopes to work more closely with the new Administration, particularly the Office of the First Lady, in tackling some of the social problems in the region.
“I am very concerned about the welfare of children, adolescent pregnancy and of course many issues relating to women, so your mission dovetails very nicely with a lot of things I have on my mind,” the First Lady said, according to GINA.
Granger extended an invitation to the New Jersey NGO to attend a September conference being hosted by the Social Cohesion Ministry which aims to collaborate with NGOs, faith based organisations, the private sector and government agencies to formulate a holistic strategy to address issues such as prostitution, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy, domestic violence and substance abuse.
First Lady Sandra Granger (left) speaking with President of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission, Suresh Sugrim (centre) and General Secretary, Shafeeza Nandlall at the Office of the President (GINA photo)
