FOOD For the Poor Guyana (FFP) Inc. has been assisting the poor and less fortunate children all across Guyana with the aim of creating productive and respectable citizens who will contribute to the development of the nation. One of the most outstanding initiatives which aids in realising this goal is the Angels of Hope Programme, currently being implemented in seven orphanages across the country, including Bless The Children at Industry on the East Coast of Demerara, Camal Home International at Albion on the Corentyne , Save ‘R’ Kids at Corneila Ida on the West Coast of Demerara, Ruimveldt Children’s Home in Georgetown, Joshua House Children’s Home in Georgetown, Mahaica Children’s Home at Mahaica East Coast Demerara, and St John’s Bosco Children’s Home at Plaisance East Coast Demerara.
Through this programme, FFP provides much needed assistance to the children in these homes by providing them with the necessities that will help them to grow and develop mentally, physically, and spiritually.
According to the Coordinator of the Project, Deon Patterson, the children who are chosen are appointed sponsors by the head office in Miami.
In explaining, she said, “When this happens, information about the children is taken along with pictures of them, and twice a year there would be contact between the sponsors and the children.”
She noted that FFP would continually render assistance to these chosen homes aside from the support received from the donors.
One such home which has tremendously benefited from the generosity of the charitable organization is the Bright Horizon Children’s Home at Kuru Kururu on the Linden Soesdyke Highway.
This institution was founded by Mrs. Doreen Livan and officially opened its doors on January 8, 1997.
According to Mrs. Livan, the establishment of the home was “a dream come true” for her, as she has always had a love for children, and before starting the home, she took care of many children in her local community.
She is fondly known as the “mother” of the community.
The home is located in a disadvantaged community, and there are currently 10 children, both boys and girls, under the age of 18; and five young adults, above the age of 18, both male and female.
Over the years, most of the children brought to the home were from the local community. However, in the last two years, the Ministry of Human Services has been referring children to the facility. Now there are children from the East Bank of Demerara, Georgetown, and even some outlying areas.
The home provides all the necessities of life for the children but their efforts are limited by insufficient funding and they depend heavily on the kindness of friends, strangers, and non-governmental organizations for proper maintenance of the home.
The government provides a yearly subvention of $100,000 to the home.
Food for the Poor Guyana Inc. has been assisting the home for over 18 years and in 2008, the home was inducted into the Angels of Hope Programme.
Under this programme, the home receives food supplies, clothing and toiletries every month; and it benefited from the completion of a dormitory for the girls and the establishment of a chicken project to assist with their self-sufficiency programme.
Food for the Poor Guyana Inc. (FFP) on Friday commissioned the $7.1 million newly renovated girl’s Dormitory opposite the Bright Horizon Children’s Home.
Executive Director of FFP, Leon Davis, in his address to the gathering, pointed out that the Bright Horizon Children’s Home was one of the first projects that he worked on at FFP.