Help and Shelter was yesterday the recipient of $7.6M in funding to aid their efforts in expanding services in the hinterland and riverain areas of Guyana.

Support was made possible through the Caribbean Gender Service Equality Programme of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The cheque was handed over to the non-governmental organisation’s (NGO) coordinator, Ms. Margaret Kertzious, by Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Charles Court.

Court, making the donation, stated that support for Help and Shelter enables the organisation to be true to its name, a help and shelter to women and children who are abused.

The Canadian High Commissioner acknowledged that domestic violence occurs across the country, though rural areas are more in need of support services.

To this end, Court asserted that there is need for support teams to go out and so expansion of services is a must.

This is the second Help and Shelter initiative to be supported this year by CIDA.

In January, an agreement was signed to provide critical support to various project initiatives geared to mitigate the effects of domestic violence, including online counselling and training for social workers and educators to counsel victims.

Kertzious expressed her appreciation for Canada’s support, and added that the funding will facilitate a project that helps the NGO meet demands for support services in the hinterland and riverain areas.

The goal of the project is to educate and empower people to adopt peaceful and non-violent means for resolving conflicts in their lives, to pursue healthy relationships based on mutual respect and appreciation of human rights.

The coordinator explained that the funding will allow for a number of activities, including:

* Expansion of services in Moruka, Region One (Barima/ Waini) and Leguan in Region Three (West Demerara/ Essequibo Islands);

* Counselling training for the staff of Hope for All, an NGO in Suddie on the Essequibo Coast, so that they will have the skills to counsel clients who are HIV positive, as well as those who are victims of domestic violence; and

* Capacity building and counselling training for two NGOs on Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), Family Awareness Consciousness and Togetherness (FACT) and Comforting Hearts.

She pointed out that the problems faced by victims of gender based violence and domestic violence are compounded by the fact that they are living in rural communities.

However, she was confident and reiterated that the funding will allow the NGO to reach more people.

Help and Shelter’s services include counselling, public education and advocacy, provision of shelter for abused victims and legal support.

Graphics folder: Help & Shelter Donation

Caption: DSC_0823: Canadian High Commissioner Mr. Charles Court hands over the cheque to Help and Shelter coordinator Ms. Margaret Kertzious.