Beneficiaries of the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) continue to receive financial support under the initiative, with 119 North and Central Rupununi youths recently receiving stimulus grants amounting to $6 million in total.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the recipients all completed training under the programme and established businesses in the areas of cattle and chicken rearing, baking, honey production, etc.
Of the 119 youths, 60 of them hail from 11 North Rupununi villages, including Annai, Surama, Rupertee, Wowetta, Aranaputa, Fairview, Massara, Rewa, Kwaimatta, Yakarinta, and Crash Water. The 59 youths from the Central Rupununi were drawn from Yupakari, Quatata, Fly Hill, Kaicumbay, Katoka and Simonie.
Also donated were a gas stove, a gas cylinder and a generator, handed over to a group in Annai Central involved in catering, as well as a gas stove and cylinder, gifted to Simonie village.
One of the beneficiaries of the stimulus grants, Harlington Hamilton, proprietor of the only bakery located in Aranaputa, had explained to DPI that prior to entering the programme, he was in the habit of loitering around the village due to an absence of jobs. However, once given the opportunity to train, he “quickly seized it and was able to grasp culinary skills and business management know-how.”
Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, during remarks at the handing over ceremony held in Yupakari Village, said that 4,000 Indigenous youth have been impacted by the HEYS programme, which has led to the creation of close to 2,000 small businesses in 220 communities in all 10 regions of Guyana.
“This is an irreversible movement…we are happy with the outcome of the programme. We have a very strong team working with the young people…while some did not successfully complete the programme, the majority did very well and have their businesses up and going. Therefore, we decided to give them additional support in the form of a small grant,” he related.
Reiterating government’s commitment to youth empowerment, Allicock said that his ministry is working on developing a concept to move the programme forward under the recently launched Guyana Youth Corps programme.
The release stated that government was commended by Toshao of Yupakari, Russian Dorrick, for the initiative, which he described as being an ‘impacting and life-changing’ programme for Indigenous youth.
