Massy Group Guyana on Friday launched a grocery voucher programme to benefit 100 women in domestic violence situations.
The initiative, which is being done in partnership with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, would see each woman receiving a $15,000 grocery voucher that would be redeemable at any of Massy’s five stores, located at Providence, Turkeyen, Ruimveldt, Montrose and Vreed-en-Hoop.
The launch was done at the company’s distribution headquarters at Montrose, East Coast Demerara.
According to a Massy press release, the programme, dubbed “SAFE – Stop Abuse, Stay Em-powered,” aims to assist women who are in abusive situations.
It is expected that the ministry would screen and identify the prospective recipients.
“I am very happy to have this collaboration with Massy as it ensures that an initiative that I have long wanted to happen really manifests in the sense that we are able to provide survivors of domestic violence with the wherewithal to provide for themselves, with our support, when they are leaving their homes,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud was quoted as saying in the release.
It noted that financial abuse occurs in almost every domestic abuse situation and because of this many people in such situations cannot provide for themselves and thus find it difficult to leave.
Persaud said through Massy’s initiative, survivors would be able to procure basic needs when they leave. “I want to thank Massy for coming on board as the first company in this invaluable step,” she was quoted as saying, before adding that the ministry will continue to see more support for those affected by domestic violence.
Meanwhile, Massy’s Assistant Vice President and Head of the Group’s Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Steering Commit-tee Christpen Bobb-Semple said the objectives of the voucher initiative are to empower women by ensuring they do not have to second guess themselves and subject themselves to abusive and at-risk situations, while also providing counselling to men to foster positive coping behaviours.
The release also noted that the initiative is just one part of Massy’s 2022 activities to support its staff and the wider community as it relates to mental health wellbeing and professional life, suicide prevention and domestic violence.
