Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud yesterday officially declared open the refurbished Sophia Kitchen which caters to children in state care.
With an injection of approximately $30 million, the facility now features a state-of-the art kitchen and recreational area conducive to learning for the children, a release from the ministry said.
At the opening, Minister Persaud said, “I thought this would be a very good way of giving those children who are in State care an environment where the can bond, where they can enjoy a meal in a good atmosphere and where those persons who prepare their meals with love and care could have a safe environment where they can prepare meals in comfort.”
Assistant Director of Childcare and Protection Agency, Levine Gouveia said “This is a welcomed venture, the children will not just eat meals but socialize, do their assignments, so this is an environment that will cater to their holistic development.”
With nearly 15 years of service to the facility, head of the kitchen Sarah Rogers said that the upgrade was much needed.
“It was very needed because the conditions we were working under wasn’t workable so we are very grateful for this upgrade from the Ministry of Human Services…this is very good for us, we are very happy to have this facility…we were trying to do our best with the conditions we were working in because we got to cook for the children, we try our best to work out the situation and it will obviously be better because it is better working facility, better working conditions, more space and everything,” she said, according to the press release.
Immediately after the opening the children under state care joined Persaud to bake cookies and make cupcakes with the new equipment at the facility before joining her in making Christmas cards.
