QUOTE:‘It does not take much in some instances, but the rewards can be immeasurable if one reaches out a helping hand to empower the helpless and the hopeless, and that reward cannot be measured by monetary values, but by the satisfaction of realizing that one may be responsible for saving a mother from being forced to make a choice whereby her child’s life hangs in the balance against helplessness circumscribed by penury.’

When I was very young I was extremely idealistic, only seeing black and white. As the years rolled by, with the onset of maturity and a plethora of experiences, I began to realize that there are also shades of grey in mankind’s existence, and that the perception of black as evil and white as pure often is not grounded in reality.

My mom used to keep clippings of my newspaper articles when I was a child/teenager, and when she died I found one “Abortion is Murder”.

Reading it I was appalled that I could have ever have been so sanctimonious, because I have since then seen situations where suffering, lack of hope, and overwhelming despair by mothers on witnessing the degraded quality of life they can afford their living children, that determined their choice to abort the unborn fetus that were forced upon them by uncaring spouses and/or circumstances beyond their control; and even through ignorance and sometimes their own carelessness.

And while I cannot condone their choice to terminate the lives of their unborn babies, I cannot be judgemental any more, because only they know the level of their own vulnerability and helplessness in the face of an uncaring and often cruel society, and the lack of institutional support, because, although the Government has invested much in its programmes for social reforms, the human element often derails the effectiveness of the implementation strategies.

Also, international funding agencies often disburse funds to organisations that format its structure for only that eventuality – for a few clever persons to enrich themselves through false representations, because most often the largesse does not redound to the benefit of the persons targeted by the funding agencies, which many times do not work in tandem with the entities to ensure that the monies are spent for the intended purposes.

That is where private entities such as the Small Business Development Fund (SBDF) play a vital role.

Many once-hopeless persons, especially single parents, drowning in a sea of penury, have been given hope by being provided help.

Not charity, or handouts, but empowering mechanisms that allow them their dignity while they pursue a goal, which often fructifies in their elevating their families out of the ranks of the poverty-stricken into respected and respectable members of society.

And this was the vision of a very devout man who knew that serving mankind was the best way of serving God – and it is the story of a son who honoured his father by concretizing his great vision.

It is the story of Abdool and Sattaur Gafoor, entrepreneurial giants who once knew poverty, but who worked tirelessly, indefatigably to better their circumstances, which they have done, in a saga that is the stuff of best-selling epics.

But they have shared, with absolute generosity, the success that they have been blessed with, and today the lives, and the quality of lives, of thousands have been enhanced as a result of the vision of the father – and the commitment to honour that vision by the son.

The SBDF, which was established in 2002, is a non-profit entity which finances micro, housing, and other development loans, and its primary objective is to promote socio-economic development for poor women, as well as others who live in the periphery of existence within the larger society.

Since its inception SBDF has funded 3,971 loans to assist in the start-up of economic activities in the areas of agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, craft, aquaculture, retail trading, export and service sectors. The entity has also provided managerial and technical training to a large number of its beneficiaries in efforts to maximise their entrepreneurial skills.

In addition, many more jobs have been created as a direct and indirect result of the activities of the business developments, which received their jump-start from this revolving financing programme.

As Managing-Director, Mrs Manjula Brijmohan said, the activities of the SBDF are fuelled by the organisation’s vision to create an equitable society through integrating people strategy, and best practices.

Many Guyanese who have left this country and have become very successful in the countries where they are currently domiciled have also been contributing to the less fortunate in Guyana’s society, and a few come readily to mind.

Dr. Tulsi Dyal-Singh who, if I recall correctly, fields a team of medical practitioners from the USA to come to Guyana for an intensive period, during which they provide medical and surgical services that have contributed much over the years to the wellness of many of Guyana’s citizens who could not otherwise have afforded the necessary specialised services.

Another team, comprising entrepreneurs based in New York – Jay and Sylvia Subraj, Nardeo Singh, and Sarwan Budhu, contributes to many Guyanese charities yearlong, but it is their work at the educational institutions run by the Guyana Sevashram Sangha that is outstanding in volume and scope.

They have recently begun a big-brother/big-sister programme that is focused on enhancing the reading abilities and upgrading literacy and computer skills of the children who have enrolled in the programme.

Here in Guyana there is Bish Panday, whom I know has contributed much of his personal funds to promote sporting activities, and who always reaches out with help to the less fortunate, as does Kamal Kanhai, who contributes a great deal of time and resources to religious organisations and events.

There are many persons from every stratum in society who oppress their fellow humans, and who take a great deal of pleasure in destabilizing the upward mobility and the peace and peace-of-mind of others.

But there are also many who have reached out with mercy and help and have, by so doing, brought hope and light to enrich the lives and brighten the darkness of the helpless and vulnerable in society.

It does not take much in some instances, but the rewards can be immeasurable if one reaches out a helping hand to empower the helpless and the hopeless, and that reward cannot be measured by monetary values, but by the satisfaction of realizing that one may be responsible for saving a mother from being forced to make a choice whereby her child’s life hangs in the balance against helplessness circumscribed by penury.