FIRST Lady Sandra Granger and Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, on Friday distributed footwear to more than 1000 students from Region Nine (Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu) schools, to complement President David Granger’s “Boats, Buses and Bicycles” initiative aimed at ensuring that all the nation’s children can attend school.The project, spearheaded by the First Lady in collaboration with Mr. Ernie Ross, Guyana’s Consul General in Trinidad and Tobago, falls under the “Rethink Initiative – Kind Soles Project”, and targets 30,000 hinterland students.

The shoes are expandable and are estimated to last each child about five years. So far, students in Region One (Barima-Waini), Region Nine, and those residing at the Amerindian Hostel in Georgetown have benefited from this initiative.

In presenting the shoes, Minister Ally said the President has a “great passion” for education, and aspires to see every child in school.

“Our Government has at the helm a man who loves education; a man who wants you and the children of the coastland to have an education and equal opportunities. Our President promised a good life, and we are doing [these] things to ensure that you all have a good life,” Minister Ally said.

She also told the students that the gift of shoes should further motivate them to improve their attendance and performance at school.

And in brief remarks, First Lady Sandra Granger said the partnership would not have come to fruition had it not been for the efforts of Mr Ross, and Caribbean Airlines which has been bringing the shoes to Guyana free of cost.

She noted that the initiative caters particularly to students in the hinterland areas, since they are the most vulnerable.

Headmistress of the Arapaima Primary School, Mrs. Mary Torres, in an invited comment, praised the project, noting that though it may seem small and inconsequential to many, it is a big boon to the students, their families and the entire region. The Headmistress said 200 of the 345 students at her school are in dire need of the shoes, since their families are challenged in many ways.

“It is very exciting. These shoes are going to be very beneficial to them, because most of these students come from single-parent homes, broken homes and even sibling homes. Right now, everyone is rushing to Marudi to work in the goldfields, and these children are left on their own. Some of them, when they come to school, you, as a teacher, when you see how they are attired, you want to help them but you can only do so much. So this is a very good start,” Mrs. Torres said.

Over at the Arapaima Nursery School, when Minister Ally announced that she had brought footwear for the students, one of the students, upon seeing the shoes, shouted: “We need shoes! I hate these ugly shoes I have on.”

Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Carl Parker, also welcomed the initiative, noting that it will do well for the students in their pursuit of education.

“I hope that you will cherish this and it will help you in your studies. Use this to motivate yourselves. We hope that you will use this opportunity to be present in school more often,” he told the students.

Some of the students benefited from today’s exercise also received a number of bicycles under the “Three Bs” programme last month.

The First Lady announced another partnership with Mr. Ross, titled “Project Happiness”, which seeks to train teachers to interact, identify and treat depressive behaviours, and counsel and motivate students. She said the project is thought to be critical to helping treat troubled children, and is another step Government is taking to reduce the incidence of suicide in the nation.