The Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc on Thursday provided a Corentyne single mother of two the opportunity to open her own business by giving her an interest-free loan of $200,000, which she will repay on her on terms.
“As a single parent mother I feel blessed. As a woman I feel privileged in the sense that too many women in the Corentyne area are not given these opportunities where they can make something of themselves,” the recipient, Trudy Sinclair, the mother of two girls, who are 10 and 6, said.
Sinclair explained that the loan will be used to start a catering business as well as to finance her venturing out to the Rose Hall, Corentyne and Port Mourant markets to sell food items.
According to Sinclair, she wants to be a role model for single parents, women and especially her two daughters. “I will continue to be an example to single parents [and] youths to show that there are opportunities,” she said.
She also encouraged persons to not be afraid to tell their stories. “There are opportunities; you just have to work hard and stay motivated. The road is never easy, it is long and hard but if you can endure it, there is victory in the end,” she stressed.
Meanwhile, the loan, once paid back by Sinclair, who recently completed the mission’s cake decoration class, will be given to another person, who can then establish a small business.
This new initiative is one of the many ways in which the Mission has been giving back to the Berbice community for many years.
With the goal of educating, empowering and elevating, the Mission has been hosting free cosmetology and cake decoration classes. Additionally, the mission has also partnered with another organisation and has been offering English, Mathematics and computer classes.
Suresh Sugrim, President of the Mission, who has always emphasised the importance of educating persons rather than making timely donations, said, “Handouts are not the answer.” He noted that the beneficiaries of the Mission’s help are real people who need long-term assistance rather than short-term assistance and as a result the organisation feels the loan is the best route at this time.
